Beth Elohim — Seat of Kings

We find the first mention of the Stone of Witness in Genesis chapter 28, where we read the account of our father Jacob when he had the night vision of the ladder that ascended up to heaven.  In that vision, he received assurance that God was with him and would bless him mightily.

“I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.  And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.  And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.”  Genesis 28:13-16

Jacob called the name of that place  Bethel  in Hebrew, meaning  House of God.

“And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.”  Genesis 28:19

He also anointed the Stone upon which his head had been resting, and said that if God would indeed go with him and take care of him as a shepherd does his sheep, that He would be his God and that the stone would be  beth elohim.

“And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: and this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house . . .”  Genesis 28:20-22

So we see in verse 22 that the Hebrew beth elohim is also translated God’s House.  But this is very curious, because beth el and beth elohim are not necessarily the same thing.  Yet, here they are given the same meaning.

The Hebrew word beth primarily means a house, but it can also mean a dwelling, abode, habitation or simply place.

The Hebrew word elohim is the plural form of el, and although it is often translated God, it is translated just as often in the Bible as gods.  Elohim can also denote angels or divine beings.  But it is overlooked that the word can also be translated kings.  Dr. William Gesenius, in reference to Psalm 82 verses 1 and 6, writes that elohim (which is there translated gods) is more correctly rendered kings (see his Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, p.49, A, 2).

So to translate the Hebrew beth elohim as PLACE OF KINGS in Genesis 28:22 would not be at all incredible, and we believe it is indeed most probably in keeping with the original intention.  This is especially true when you consider that the Hebrew beth el occurs in the very same passage.  Why would the wording be different in the original Hebrew if the intention was to communicate the same thing?  It seems very clear to the writer that there was to be a distinction made between the two.

Could Jacob have been, under divine inspiration and foreknowledge, prophesying that the stone which he had just anointed would be used as a place or seat for kings?!

It is indeed interesting to note that the primary function of this Stone of Witness has been that of a CORONATION STONE from time immemorial.

 

( The preceding article was written by The Rev. Dr. Kenneth C. Kemble )

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