Joshua 15:24
Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth,
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Ziph's identification remains disputed; the hill country Ziph is identified with Tell Zif, 4 miles southeast of Hebron. The southern Ziph may be a separate settlement. Place name duplication was common in ancient Israel, requiring contextual clues for identification. Telem's association with Saul (of the tribe of Benjamin, not Judah) shows that some cities' tribal affiliations shifted or included mixed populations.
Bealoth's name suggests Canaanite origins, possibly a cult site for Baalat ("lady" or "mistress," female form of Baal). The goddess Asherah or Anat might have been worshiped there. Israel's transformation of such sites involved destroying high places, Asherah poles, and idols (Deuteronomy 12:2-3), then dedicating the location to Yahweh. This redemptive pattern appears throughout conquest accounts—taking what was defiled and making it holy.
Questions for Reflection
- What 'Bealoth' locations in your life—places, relationships, or practices formerly devoted to sin—has God redeemed and transformed for His purposes?
- How does the redemptive conquest of Canaanite cult sites illustrate the gospel's power to transform what was enslaved to darkness into instruments of righteousness (Romans 6:13)?
- What spiritual disciplines help ensure that redeemed areas of your life remain consecrated to God rather than reverting to former patterns?
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Analysis & Commentary
Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth—Ziph (זִיף) appears elsewhere as a city in Judah's hill country (v. 55) where David hid from Saul (1 Samuel 23:14-15; 26:2); this southern Ziph may be a different location with the same name. Telem (טֶלֶם, "oppression" or "lamb") was later mentioned as one of Saul's clan cities (1 Samuel 15:4; 27:8). Bealoth (בְּעָלוֹת, "mistresses" or "ladies," plural of baalah) may indicate a former Canaanite cult site dedicated to female deities, now cleansed and repurposed for Israelite settlement.
The transformation implied by including Bealoth demonstrates redemptive conquest—places previously devoted to pagan worship became part of the holy inheritance. God didn't merely give Israel uninhabited wilderness but reclaimed enemy territory, cleansing it from idolatry and dedicating it to covenant purposes. This foreshadows the gospel pattern where Christ takes lives enslaved to sin and transforms them into temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).