Beth

bath (b): The second letter of the Hebrew alphabet. With the daghesh it is transliterated in this dictionary as "b," and, without the daghesth, as "bh" ( = "v"). It came also to be used for the number two (2) and with the dieresis for 2,000. For name, etc., see Alphabet; Bayith.

beth (in proper names; Greek transliteration in Septuagint, beth, baith, or beth): This is the English transliteration for the Hebrew beth, meaning "house," "tent," "place." It occurs in many compound proper names formed similarly to the method of compounding words in the German language, as shown in the articles immediately following. Thus we have beth `anath or `anoth = "house of replies" (Josh 19:38; Judg 1:33); beth'el = "house of God" (Gen 12:8; Gen 13:3), etc. We also find the word in hybrid formations, e.g. Bethphage = Bethphage = "fig house" (Matt 21:1).

Frank E. Hirsch