**BETHORON** (Hebrew *hab-Bithrôn*). — Name of a district, probably a valley, to be sought to the east of the Jordan (*2 Sam.* 2:29), and of a double city (upper and lower), Hebrew *Bêth-hôrôn*, situated in the mountains of Ephraim near the borders of Benjamin (*Josh.* 16:3, 5; 18:13–14), about 20 km northwest of Jerusalem. As it lay on one of the ancient roads connecting Jerusalem to the coast, the two cities held great strategic importance, which explains the constant care devoted to their fortification in all ages (*1 Kings* 9:17; *1 Macc.* 9:50). Near Bethoron, Joshua achieved the famous victory over the confederate Canaanite kings (*Josh.* 10:10). The two Bethorons were identified by Clarke in 1801: the first, Upper Bethoron (Bejt 'Ur el-Fôq), is today a village of about 170 inhabitants; the second, Lower Bethoron (Bejt 'Ur et-Taht), lies 4 km from the former and has just over 600 inhabitants.
BETHORON (EBR. *HAB-BITHRÔN*)
