Original Word: בֵּית הָאֱלִי
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: Beyth ha-'Eliy
Pronunciation: bayth hah-ay-lee
Phonetic Spelling: (bayth haw-el-ee')
KJV: Bethelite
NASB: Bethelite
Word Origin: [patrial from H1008 (בֵּיתּ ־ אֵל - Bethel) with the article interposed]

1. a Beth-elite, or inhabitant of Bethel

Bethelite

Patrial from Beyth-'El with the article interposed; a Beth-elite, or inhabitant of Bethel -- Bethelite.

see HEBREW Beyth-'El

Word Origin
from Betheel
Definition
an inhab. of Bethel
NASB Translation
Bethelite (1).

בֵּית הָאֱלִי adjective, of a people with article the Bethelite 1 Kings 16:34.

Name and Identification

בֵּית הָאֱלִי designates “the Bethelite,” that is, a resident of Bethel. In the Old Testament the term is applied to Hiel, whose rebuilding of Jericho fulfilled the curse spoken centuries earlier by Joshua.

Biblical Occurrence

1 Kings 16:34 – “In his days, Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho. At the cost of Abiram his firstborn, he laid its foundations, and at the cost of Segub his youngest, he set up its gates, according to the word of the LORD spoken through Joshua son of Nun.”

Historical Setting

The event took place during the reign of Ahab (circa 874–853 BC), a period marked by aggressive Baal worship and political ambition in the northern kingdom of Israel. Ahab’s building program (1 Kings 16:32–33) encouraged allied projects, among them the reconstruction of Jericho by Hiel of Bethel.

Bethel and Its Spiritual Legacy

1. Patriarchal Beginnings: Bethel first appears as the site where Jacob encountered God (Genesis 28:10-22).
2. Center of Idolatry: After the kingdom divided, Jeroboam I set up a golden calf at Bethel (1 Kings 12:28-33), turning a place of early revelation into a hub of apostasy.
3. Prophetic Warnings: Prophets such as Amos (Amos 3:14; 4:4; 5:5-6) condemned Bethel’s cultic practices.

Hiel’s identity as a “Bethelite” therefore links him to a town that had exchanged its heritage of divine revelation for compromise, preparing the narrative backdrop for his tragic losses.

Prophetic Fulfillment

Joshua 6:26 pronounced a curse on anyone who would rebuild Jericho: he would “lay its foundations at the cost of his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest.” Hiel’s loss of Abiram and Segub precisely matches the wording of Joshua’s oath, demonstrating:

• The certainty of prophetic word even across centuries.
• Divine sovereignty over national affairs.
• Judgment that specifically fits the disobedience committed.

Geographical and Archaeological Notes

• Bethel is identified with modern Beitin, about 19 km north of Jerusalem.
• Jericho lies near the Jordan River valley, approximately 14 km northwest of the Dead Sea.
• Excavations confirm multiple occupations and destructions of Jericho; the biblical timeline places Hiel’s reconstruction during Iron Age I-II transitions.

Theological Significance

1. Authority of Scripture: The fulfillment of Joshua’s curse underlines the unity of the biblical record; words spoken during the Conquest remain operative in the monarchic era.
2. Cost of Defiance: Human progress that disregards God’s boundaries brings hidden costs. Hiel’s architectural success was overshadowed by personal tragedy.
3. Contrast of Two Cities: Jericho, once miraculously felled, resurfaces through human effort only to become a monument to judgment, whereas Bethel, though favored in patriarchal times, descends into compromise.

Lessons for Ministry Today

• Obedience Outweighs Ambition: Ministry endeavors must be governed by prior revelation, not by cultural or political opportunity.
• Remember Historical Warnings: Leaders should study God’s past dealings to avoid repeating violations.
• The Personal Impact of Corporate Sin: Hiel acted within a climate shaped by Ahab’s idolatry; nevertheless, the consequences reached his own household, reminding believers that individual accountability endures amid societal drift.

Related Scriptural Connections

Joshua 6:26; 1 Kings 12:28-33; 2 Kings 2:23-25; Amos 3:14; Amos 5:5-6; Hebrews 4:12 (for the living power of God’s word).

Summary

בֵּית הָאֱלִי points to Hiel of Bethel, whose rebuilding of Jericho under Ahab illustrates the enduring authority of God’s prophetic pronouncements, the peril of disregarding His commands, and the sobering intertwining of personal loss with national apostasy.

הָאֱלִ֖י האלי hā’ĕlî hā·’ĕ·lî haeLiInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts