BETAH

(Beʹtah) [trust, security].

A town mentioned along with Berothai in connection with David’s defeat of Hadadezer, king of Zobah. (2 Sam. 8:8) The site is unknown, although the Aramaean kingdom of Zobah is considered to have been to the N of Damascus. In a parallel account of David’s victory, 1 Chronicles 18:8 refers to “Tibhath,” and some lexicographers consider Tibhath to be the more correct rendering. The Syriac version reads “Tebah” instead of Betah at 2 Samuel 8:8. It is to be noted that simply by an inversion of the first two Hebrew consonants Betah becomes Tebah. Since Betah (or Tibhath) was an Aramaean city, some scholars relate it with Tebah, the son of Nahor.—Gen. 22:24; see TEBAH; TIBHATH.