Original Word: בֵּית הָרָם
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Beyth ha-Ram
Pronunciation: bayth hah-RAHM
Phonetic Spelling: (bayth haw-rawm')
KJV: Beth-aram
NASB: Beth-haram, Beth-haran
Word Origin: [from H1004 (בַּיִת - house) and H7311 (רוּם - exalted) with the article interposed]

1. house of the height
2. Beth-ha-Ram, a place East of the Jordan

Beth-aram

From bayith and ruwm with the article interposed; house of the height; Beth-ha-Ram, a place East of the Jordan -- Beth-aram.

see HEBREW bayith

see HEBREW ruwm

Word Origin
from bayith and perhaps rum
Definition
"house of the height," a place E. of the Jordan
NASB Translation
Beth-haram (1), Beth-haran (1).

בֵּית הָרָם proper name, of a location in Gad Joshua 13:27 = בֵּית הָרָן Numbers 32:36, modern Beit Harrân, 1 hour east of Jordan, opposite Jericho, Tristr^{Moab 348}; name Tell er-Ram(eh) Merrill^{PE Soc. iv. 1877} Schick^{ZPV 1879, 3, 246} (compare Lag^{Onom. 103. 16, 2nd ed. 137} and others)

בֵּית הָרָן see בֵּית הָרָם

Geographical Setting

Beth-haram lay in “the valley” of the Jordan east of the river, within sight of the Sea of Chinnereth (Galilee). The broad, fertile plain, watered by the perennial Jordan and its tributary streams, furnished ideal pastureland and rich soils for agriculture. The site is generally identified with Tell er-Rameh, approximately 12 km (7.5 mi) southeast of the modern southern tip of the Sea of Galilee. Its topography—overlooking the lower Jordan Valley—explains the name “house of height.”

Historical Context

Joshua 13:27 lists Beth-haram among the towns inherited by the tribe of Gad after Moses and Joshua defeated Sihon of Heshbon:

“and in the valley, Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon—the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, with the Jordan as its border, as far as the edge of the Sea of Chinnereth on the eastern side of the Jordan”.

The mention demonstrates God’s faithfulness in allotting a secure homeland for Gad prior to Israel’s full occupation of Canaan (Joshua 22:1-4).

Role in Tribal Allotment

Gad’s possession straddled key trans-Jordanian routes linking the King’s Highway to the fords of the Jordan. Beth-haram anchored the northern edge of Gad’s “valley towns,” balancing its southern stronghold at Heshbon. This distribution provided the tribe both pastoral highlands and irrigated valley fields, enabling livestock husbandry and crop cultivation (compare Numbers 32:1-5).

Strategic and Economic Importance

Situated where the Jordan Valley narrows, Beth-haram controlled the approaches to the river crossings below Chinnereth. Caravans descending from Damascus toward the coastal plains passed nearby, making the town a customs outpost and military lookout. The fertile surroundings produced grain, figs, and dates, while the adjoining foothills offered grazing for sheep and cattle—resources noted when the Reubenites and Gadites first petitioned Moses for the land (Numbers 32:4).

Later History and Extra-Biblical References

Early Jewish and Roman writers preserve the town’s memory under the Hellenized form Betharamphtha. Josephus states that Herod Philip rebuilt and renamed it Julias (Antiquities 18.2.1), honoring Julia, daughter of Emperor Augustus. Roman occupation added fortifications and paved roads, yet the underlying Hebrew name endured in rabbinic literature, evidencing the continuity of Gadite presence until the Second Jewish Revolt.

Theological and Ministry Reflections

1. Covenant Fulfillment: Beth-haram testifies that God apportioned specific, tangible inheritances to His people (Joshua 21:43-45). Each named village underscores the precision with which the LORD keeps promises.
2. Stewardship of God-given Resources: Gad accepted a territory rich in natural assets. Their experience encourages believers to steward faithfully whatever sphere the LORD entrusts—whether fertile valley or rugged plateau (Luke 16:10).
3. Witness to Gentile Neighbors: Occupying a border town, Gadites lived before surrounding nations. Their obedience—or failure—would influence Gentile perceptions of Israel’s God (Deuteronomy 4:5-8). Present-day ministry likewise calls the church to holiness before a watching world (1 Peter 2:12).
4. Anticipation of Greater Inheritance: Though Beth-haram was a “house of height,” it pointed beyond itself to the “city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Earthly allotments refresh the pilgrim people of God but do not replace the ultimate rest in Christ (Hebrews 4:8-11).

Summary

Beth-haram, modest yet strategic, marks Yahweh’s detailed care in providing for His covenant tribe of Gad. Its geography, economy, and history illuminate the diligence, faith, and hope expected of all who dwell in the LORD’s allotted places today.

הָרָם֩ הרם hā·rām haRam hārāmInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts