Beth-aven

Beth-ay´vuhn

1 A location near Ai (Josh 7:2). 2 A regional designation for the northwest corner of land allotted to Benjamin (Josh 18:12). (1Sam 13:5) places it west of Michmash, and (1Sam 14:23) states that Saul’s conflict with the Philistines moved “beyond,” into Ephraimite territory. The prophet Hosea warns against visiting there as a possible idolatrous act (Hos 4:15), considers it a site for issuing public warnings (Hos 5:8), and associates an idolatrous calf (calves) with it (Hos 10:5), the latter a possible designation of Bethel and its shrine.