Be'rite (Heb. only in the plur., and with the art., hab-Berim', הִבֵּרִים, derivation uncertain [Gesenius and Furst both overlook the word altogether], if indeed the text be not corrupt; Sept. ἐν Χαῤῥί, but most copies omit), a tribe or place named with Abel of Bethmaachah-and therefore doubtless situated in the north of Palestine-only as having been visited by Joab in his pursuit after Sheba, the son of Bichri (2Sa 20:14). The expression is a remarkable one, "all the Berites" (comp. "all the Bithron"). The Vulgate has a different rendering-omnes viri elect — apparently for בִּחֻרִים, i.e. young men, and this is, in Ewald's opinion, the correct reading (Isr. Gesch. 3, 249, note). Schwarz, however, is inclined to regard it as a collective term for several places of similar name mentioned in Josephus and the Talmud as lying in the vicinity of Lake Merom (Palest. p. 203); and Thomson (Land and Book, 1, 425) conjectures that it may specially designate the Beroth (Βηρώθη) of Upper Galilee, where. according to Josephus (Ant. 5, 1, 18), the Canaanitish kings encamped against Joshua (comp. Jos 11:5), and which he identifies with Biria, a short distance north of Safed (Van de Velde, Map).
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More