Beth-Anath
/ˌbɛθ ˈɑːnæθ/noun
An ancient town mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, traditionally identified with a site in the territory of Naphtali.
Did you know?Anat was a prominent Canaanite goddess associated especially with warfare and fertility, so the name may preserve a pre-Israelite religious landscape within the biblical text.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*bayt
“House or dwelling; the ancient Semitic root behind Hebrew beth.”
Late Bronze Age
Canaanite
Bayt ʿAnat
“House or sanctuary associated with Anat, a Canaanite goddess of war and fertility.”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
בֵּית עֲנָת (Bēt ʿĂnāṯ)
“Beth-Anath, literally “House of Anat”; a settlement named in the territory of Naphtali.”
Classical Antiquity
Greek
Βαιθαναθ (Baithanath)
“A Greek-script form used in ancient textual transmission of the place-name.”
17th Century
English
Beth-anath
“The spelling used in English Bible translations for the biblical town.”
Modern English
English
Beth-Anath
“An ancient biblical place-name, usually discussed in historical, archaeological, or religious contexts.”