BETH-EDEN

(Beth-eʹden) [house of Eden, or, house of delight].

A city or region of Syria referred to at Amos 1:5 in that prophet’s message against Damascus. It is now generally associated with the Bit-adini of the Assyrian inscriptions, a region located between the Euphrates and Balikh Rivers. Such identification can be acceptable, however, only if “Damascus” in the prophecy is understood to represent the Aramaean (Syrian) kingdoms in general, inasmuch as the kingdom of Bit-adini lay some 300 miles (about 480 kilometers) to the N of Damascus. Damascus is, indeed, called “the head of Syria” at Isaiah 7:8.

Amos’ prediction (likely before 803 B.C.E.) that “the people of Syria will have to go as exiles to Kir” is shown to have been fulfilled at least by the time of the Assyrian monarch Tiglath-pileser III, during the reign of King Ahaz (761-745 B.C.E.).—2 Ki. 16:9.

The “sons of Eden” mentioned at 2 Kings 19:12 and Isaiah 37:12 may refer to the people of Beth-eden, perhaps the “Eden” of Ezekiel 27:23.—See EDEN No. 2.