Beth-arabah

Beth-arabah surfaces in Joshua's allotment lists as a border town in the valley of the Dead Sea, sitting on the line that separates Judah from Benjamin and reappearing in each tribe's town roster.

On Judah's Northern Boundary

The Judahite border description traces a line that climbs to Beth-hoglah and runs along the north side of Beth-arabah on its way to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben: "and the border went up to Beth-hoglah, and passed along by the north of Beth-arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben" (Jos 15:6). The town here functions as a fixed point the boundary passes "by," placing it in the wilderness descent toward the Dead Sea valley.

Among Judah's Wilderness Towns

In Judah's town list, Beth-arabah is grouped with the wilderness settlements Middin and Secacah: "In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah," (Jos 15:61). The clustering with other wilderness sites reinforces its location in the desert region west of the Jordan rift.

On Benjamin's Side of the Same Border

The reciprocal description of Benjamin's allotment carries the boundary along the same terrain, with the line passing "to the side across from the Arabah northward" and going "down to the Arabah" (Jos 18:18). Within Benjamin's town list, Beth-arabah appears alongside Zemaraim and Beth-el: "and Beth-arabah, and Zemaraim, and Beth-el," (Jos 18:22). The town's appearance in both Judah's and Benjamin's rosters reflects its position on the shared border between the two tribes.