BETH-EDEN

(Beth-eʹden) [House of Eden].

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 480 km (300 mi) to the N of Damascus. Damascus is, indeed, called “the head of Syria” at Isaiah 7:8.

Amos’ prediction (likely c. 804 B.C.E.) that “the people of Syria will have to go as exiles to Kir” was apparently fulfilled in the time of the Assyrian monarch Tiglath-pileser III, during the reign of King Ahaz (761-746 B.C.E.).​—2Ki 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.