

For centuries a strategic route into the heart of Judea went up from Joppa (modern Jaffa) on the coast through the Valley of Aijalon (modern Yalo), ascending through the two Beth Horons to Gibeon (four miles [seven km.] distant) on its way to Jerusalem. It was in this valley that Joshua commanded the sun and moon to stand still while he fought the Amorite kings in his defense of the Gibeonites. He chased these five kings over the pass to Beth Horon (Josh.10.10-Josh.10.13). Along this route the Philistines fled after they had been defeated at Micmash (1Sam.14.31), and it was there that Judas Maccabeus overthrew the army of Seron, a prince of Syria (1Macc.3.13-1Macc.3.24). The importance of the Beth Horon pass as a key route into Palestine explains the fortification of its towns by Solomon (2Chr.8.5). It is no longer important, but great foundation stones can be seen there yet today.




BETH-HORON bĕth hôr’ ən (בֵּית־חוֹרֹ֛ן, LXX Βαιθωρων, KJV Beth-oron, meaning house of caves. The na