LUZA (Heb. láz “almond tree,” Septuagint Ἀουζά). - The original name of a Canaanite locality, about 17 km north of Jerusalem, BETHESDA (v.), or “house of God,” was later given in memory of the vision of the ladder and the Angels granted there to Giacobbe while he was travelling from Bersabea to Haran (Gen. 28:11-28). It was situated almost in the centre of Palestine, and in the division of the Promised Land it lay on the boundaries of the tribes of Ephraim and Beniamin (cf. Ios. 16:1 ff.; 8:3).
There Abramo had erected an altar and invoked the name of Jahweh (Gen. 12:8; 13:3-4); another pillar was erected by Giacobbe in remembrance of the vision and the divine apparition, which he later commemorated on his return from Haran with a solemn rite, receiving confirmation of the promises already made to him by the Lord. Probably on this occasion the name of L. was changed to that of Bethel (cf. Gen. 35:1-15), famous in the history of Israel.
The same name, L., was given to a city in the land of the Hittites, built after the Israelite occupation of L. Bethel by a Canaanite who had shown the Hebrews the way to take that city: having been set free with his family, he went to the land of the Hittites and founded there a city to which he gave the name L. (cf. Iudc. 1:22-26).