bē´red ( בּרד , beredh ; Βαράδ , Barád ): A place in the Negeb mentioned in the story of Hagar (Genesis 16:14 ). The well Beer-lahai-roi was "between Kadesh and Bered." The Onkelos Targum renders it Ḥaghrā' , which is the usual equivalent of Shur, while the Jerusalem Targum renders it Ḥălūcāh , which is also Shur (Exodus 15:22 ). Ḥălūcāh is clearly the city of Elusu mentioned by Ptolemy and from the 4th to the 7th centuries by various ecclesiastical writers. It was an important town on the road from Palestine to Kadesh and Mount Sinai. This is without doubt the very large and important ruin Kḣ Khalaṣa , some 70 miles South of Jerusalem on the road from Beersheba and Rehoboth. "These ruins cover an area of 15 to 20 acres, throughout which the foundations and enclosures of houses are distinctly to be traced.... We judged that here there must have been a city with room enough for a population of 15,000 to 20,000 souls" (Robinson, BR , I, 201).
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) was edited by James Orr, John Nuelsen, Edgar Mullins, Morris Evans, and Melvin Grove Kyle and was published complete in 1939. This web site includes the complete text.
WikipediaThe ISBE is a classic Bible reference compiled from nearly 10,000 entries written by over 200 different Bible scholars and teachers. In addition to the encyclopedia articles, all of the major words of the Bible are represented and defined.
The historical, cultural, and linguistic information in the ISBE can be of great value in Bible study and research.
But as with any writings of men, the careful student of the Bible must always compare them with Scripture. As you use this helpful study resource, remember that only God's word is pure.
Read More