Beer-sheba

Bee´uhr-shee´buh

The major city in the northern Negeb desert, in the territory of the tribe of Simeon (Josh 19:2). A biblical tradition explains the derivation of the name (Gen 21:22-32): Abraham and Abimelech, king of Gerar, settled their dispute over a well (Heb. beer) by concluding a treaty with an offering of “seven” (Heb. sheba‘) ewes. A generation later, renewed contention between the shepherds of Isaac and Abimelech was resolved by another oath at Beer-sheba (Gen 26:26-33). Later, Samuel’s two sons were judges at Beer-sheba (1Sam 8:2), and David’s realm stretched “from Dan to Beer-sheba,” a geographical description that became standard for the limits of Israelite settlement in the promised land (2Sam 17:11; 2Sam 24:2; 1Kgs 5:5). The prophet Amos makes critical reference to the sanctity of this southern city (Amos 5:5; Amos 8:14).