from בַּיִת and בַּעַל and מָעוֹן; house of Baal of (the) habitation of (apparently by transposition); or (shorter) בֵּית מְעוֹןlemma בֵּית מעוֹן missing vowel, corrected to בֵּית מְעוֹן; house of habitation of (Baal); Beth-Baal-Meon, a place in Palestine; Beth-baal-meon. Compare בַּעַל מְעוֹן and בְּעֹן.
### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew name **Bêyth Baʻal Mᵉʻôwn**, represented by `{{H1010}}`, literally means **house of Baal of (the) habitation of**. It appears **2 times** across **2 unique verses** in the Bible. This term identifies a specific place in Palestine and is sometimes found in the shorter form Beth-meon, meaning "house of habitation of (Baal)".
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H1010}}` is listed as a city located in a specific geographical region. It is mentioned as **Bethbaalmeon** among the cities "in the plain" `{{H4334}}` along with Heshbon `{{H2809}}`, Dibon `{{H1769}}`, and Bamothbaal `{{H1120}}` [[Joshua 13:17]]. In a later reference, it appears under its shorter name, **Bethmeon**, in a list of cities slated for judgment, including Kiriathaim `{{H7156}}` and Bethgamul `{{H1014}}` [[Jeremiah 48:23]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related place names appear alongside `{{H1010}}`, providing geographical context:
* `{{H2809}}` **Cheshbôwn** (Cheshbon, a place East of the Jordan): This city is listed with Bethbaalmeon as being "in the plain" [[Joshua 13:17]].
* `{{H1769}}` **Dîybôwn** (pining; Dibon, the name of three places in Palestine): Dibon is another key city mentioned in the same list as Bethbaalmeon in the plains [[Joshua 13:17]].
* `{{H7156}}` **Qiryâthayim** (double city; Kirjathaim, the name of two placed in Palestine): This city is listed immediately before Bethmeon in the prophecy of judgment found in Jeremiah [[Jeremiah 48:23]].
### Theological Significance
The significance of `{{H1010}}` is primarily geographical and contextual, tying it to the fate of the surrounding region.
* **A City of the Plain:** Its inclusion with "all her cities that are in the plain" [[Joshua 13:17]] establishes its location within a specific, level territory east of the Jordan.
* **Association with Moabite Territory:** The mention of Bethmeon in Jeremiah 48 places it squarely within the context of a prophecy against Moab. Other cities in this regional prophecy, such as Dibon [[Jeremiah 48:22]] and Heshbon [[Jeremiah 48:2]], confirm this geographic association.
* **Subject of Divine Judgment:** The name appears in [[Jeremiah 48:23]] as part of a list of cities that will face judgment, highlighting its role in the prophetic oracles against the nations.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H1010}}` is a specific place name, **Bêyth Baʻal Mᵉʻôwn**, signifying the "house of Baal of the habitation". Though mentioned only twice, its appearances in scripture firmly locate it among the cities of the plain east of the Jordan. It is listed both as part of a regional territory [[Joshua 13:17]] and as a target of divine judgment against Moab [[Jeremiah 48:23]]. The name itself, and its association with other locations, provides a glimpse into the geography and history of the region during the biblical era.
TRV