The well of the oath, Genesis 21:31; 26:31,33 , a city twenty-eight miles southwest of Hebron, at the southern extremity of the Holy Land. Dan lay at the northern extremity; so that the phrase, "from Dan to Beersheba," means, the whole length of the land, Judges 20:1 . At Beersheba, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob often dwelt, Genesis 21:31; 22:19; 26:33; 28:10; 46:1 . The town that afterwards rose here was first assigned to Judah, and then to Simeon, Joshua 15:28; 19:2 . Here Samuel established his sons as judges, 1 Samuel 8:2 . Elijah rested here on his way to Horeb, 1 Kings 19:3 . It was a seat of idolatry in the time of Uzziah, Amos 5:5; 8:14 . After the captivity, it was repeopled by the Jews, Nehemiah 11:27,30 , and continued a large village many centuries after the coming of Christ. Dr. Robinson found its site at Bir-es-Seba, on the border of the great desert south of Canaan-the ruins of a small straggling city, and two deep stone wells of excellent water, surrounded by stone troughs, and bearing the marks of great antiquity.
Although written in 1859 by William Rand, this dictionary of the Bible from the American Tract Society is still relevant today.Wikipedia
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