Bethel
Bethel (in Hebrew : - ) is a town in the highlands of Canaan (archaeological sites). This place is located 10km north of Jerusalem , in the historical region of ancient Samaria (northern West Bank today). It is identified by some in the Arab village of Beitin and the Jewish settlement of Beit El by others.
Bethel is linked in the Bible the passage of the patriarchs Abraham and Jacob to this place. Abraham built an altar, while Jacob was there and fell asleep, according to the biblical story, a dream of a ladder reaching to the sky and the angels ascending and descending.
The Ark of the Covenant resided there before the time of the Judges of Israel and Samuel held there his court.
It was one of the main sanctuaries of the Jewish kingdom of Israel , or kingdom of Samaria, which provoked sharp criticism of the Pentateuch , in favor of centralization of worship in the temple of Jerusalem.
Before the Hebrews settled there, the place called Luz, but it is in Genesis 28:19 Oulammaus named in the codices Alexandrinus. What appears under this name in Luke 24:13 in the codex Bezae the village to which the two companions were heading to Emmaus who, according to the Christian Gospels, the night of the Resurrection when Jesus left Jerusalem and would have appeared for the first time after his resurrection.
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