Bethel

Bethel (lit. house of God) now used as a general term for a place of worship, especially for sailors and non-conformists.

In the Bible, Bethel was the place that Jacob fled to from Esau's wrath. He fell asleep using a stone for a pillow. In his dream Jacob saw a ladder leading up to heaven from that spot, and angels passing up and down it. When he awoke, he realized that God was in that place, and later built an altar to Him there.

> And he [Jacob] lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.

> (Genesis 28:11-19)

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Cities and Towns of the Bible

New Testament|

Ain Karim • Amphipolis • Antioch • Antipatris • Appii Forum • Appolonia • Athens • Azotus • Berea • Bethabara • Bethany • Bethlehem • Caesarea Maritima • Cana • Damascus • Derbe • Ephesus • Gadara • Gaza • Gergesa • Gibbethon • Emmaus • Iconium • Jerusalem • Joppa • Lasea • Laodicea • Lystra • Magdala • Miletus • Mitylene • Myra • Nain • Nazareth • Nineveh • Patara • Paphos • Perga • Pergamos • Philadelphia • Philippi • Puteoli • Ptolemais • Rhegium • Rome • Salamis • Sardis • Smyrna • Synchar • Syracuse • Tarsus • Thessalonica • Tiberias • Tirzah • Thyatira • Troas • Tyre

Old Testament|

Ai • Aijalon • Arad • Archi • Aroer • Ashdod • Ashkelon • Ataroth • Babylon • Beer Sheba • Beeroth • Beth Dagon • Beth Haran • Beth Nimrah • Beth Shean • Bethel • Beth-shemesh • Bethlehem • Beth-zur • Bozkath • Daberath • Damascus • Dibon • Dothan • Eglon • Elath • Ekron • Enoch • Etam • Ezion-geber • Gath • Geba • Gezer • Giloh • Gomorrah • Halah • Hazor • Hebron • Horonaim • Iim • Jabesh Gilead • Jabneh • Jazer • Jericho • Jeshanah • Jerusalem • Kabzeel • Kartan • Kedesh • Kirjath-huzoth • Kirjathaim • Kithlish • Lachish • Megiddo • Mizpah • Netophah • Ophrah • Ramoth-gilead • Shaaraim • Secacah • Sharuhen • Shechem • Shiloh • Sidon • Sodom • Susa • Tahpanhes • Tanis • Tekoa • Timnah • Tirzah • Tyre • Ziddim • Ziklag • Zoan • Zorah