Bethmarcaboth
Beth-mar'caboth (Heb. Eeyth Markaboth', מִרכָּבוֹת בֵּית, house of chariots, in Chron.; Sept. Βαιθμαρχαβώθ v. r. Βαιθμαριμώθ; or with the art. in Josh., Beth- ham-markaboth', בֵּיתאּהמִּרכָּבֹת, house of the chariots; Sept. Βηθαμερχαβώθ v. r. Βαιθμαχερέβ, and Βαιθαμμαρχασβώθ), one of the towns of Simeon, situated to the extreme south of Judah, with Ziklag and Hormah (Jos 19:5; 1Ch 4:31). What "chariots" can have been in use in this rough and thinly-inhabited part of the country, at a time so early as that at which these lists of towns purport to have been made out, we know not. At a later period — that of Solomon — "chariot cities" are named, and a regular trade with Egypt in chariots was carried on (1Ki 9:19; 2Ch 8:6; 1Ki 10:29; 2Ch 1:17), which would naturally require depots or stopping-places on the road "up" to Palestine (Stanley, p. 160). In the parallel list, Jos 15:30-31, MADMANNAH SEE MADMANNAH (q.v.) occurs in place of Beth- marcaboth; possibly the latter was substituted for the former after the town had become the resort of chariots. SEE HAZAR-SUSAH.
