בית שמש

Hebrew

Etymology

Roots
ב־י־ת (b-y-t)
שׁ־מ־שׁ (š-m-š)

From בית (beyt, “house of”) +‎ שמש (shemésh, “sun”).

Proper noun

בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ • (beyt shemésh)

1. Beth-shemesh, Beit Shemesh (a city in central Israel)
   • Tanach, 1 Samuel 6:12, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וַיִּשַּׁרְנָה הַפָּרוֹת בַּדֶּרֶךְ עַל־דֶּרֶךְ בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ בִּמְסִלָּה אַחַת הָלְכוּ הָלֹךְ וְגָעוֹ וְלֹא־סָרוּ יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאול וְסַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים הֹלְכִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם עַד־גְּבוּל בֵּית שָׁמֶשׁ׃

     vay-yissárna ha-parót ba-dérekh 'al dérekh Beit Shémesh bi-msilá ahát halkhú halókh v-ga'ú v-lo sáru yamín u-smól v-sarnéi p'lishtím holkhím aḥareihém 'ad g'vúl Beit Shámesh

     And the kine took the straight way by the way to Beth-shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth-shemesh.

2. (archaic, Biblical Hebrew) Heliopolis (an ancient city in Egypt)

   Synonym: אוֹן (On)

   • Tanach, Jeremiah 43:13:

     וְשִׁבַּר אֶת־מַצְּבוֹת בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וְאֶת־בָּתֵּי אֱלֹהֵי־מִצְרַיִם יִשְׂרֹף בָּאֵשׁ׃

     v-shibár et matsvót Beit Shémesh ashér b-éretz mitsráyim v-et batéi elohéi mitsráyim yisróf ba-esh

     And He will shatter the pillars of Heliopolis in the land of Egypt, and the houses of the gods of Egypt he will burn in fire.