Beth-gamul
Where it is
31.52° N, 35.84° E
Mentioned most in
About this place
Beth-gamul is mentioned only once in the Bible, in Jeremiah 48:23, as part of a prophecy against Moab. The name Beth-gamul means "house of the camel" or "house of recompense" in Hebrew. The exact location of Beth-gamul is unknown, but it was likely situated within the territory of Moab, east of the Dead Sea.
In the context of Jeremiah's prophecy, Beth-gamul is listed among other Moabite cities, such as Kiriathaim, Beth-meon, and Kerioth, which were to face destruction or capture by the Babylonians as a consequence of Moab's pride and idolatry. The prophecy declares that Moab will be destroyed and its cities will be laid waste, with no one to rebuild them.
The mention of Beth-gamul serves to emphasize the extent of the judgment against Moab, as even this relatively obscure town would not be spared from the coming destruction. The prophecy against Moab is part of a larger series of oracles against the nations surrounding Israel and Judah, demonstrating God's sovereignty and judgment over all nations.
Every mention
Jeremiah 1 mention
What the dictionary says
Camel-house, a city in the “plain country” of Moab denounced by the prophet (Jer. 48:23); probably the modern Um-el-Jemal, near Bozrah, one of the deserted…
Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding · CC BY 4.0 · www.openbible.info/geo/
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain