Lexical Summary Beth Diblathayim: House of Fig Cakes Original Word: בֵּית דִּבְלָתיִם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Beth-diblathaim From bayith and the dual of dbelah; house of (the) two figcakes; Beth-Diblathajim, a place East of the Jordan -- Beth-diblathaim. see HEBREW bayith see HEBREW dbelah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom bayith and a word from the same as debelah Definition a place in Moab (the same as NH5963) NASB Translation Beth-diblathaim (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs בֵּית דִּבְלָתָ֑יִם proper name, of a location in Moab Jeremiah 48:22 = עַלְמֹן דִּבְלָתָ֑יְמָה Numbers 33:46,47 (MI בת דבלתן) see ׳ד. דִּבְלָתַ֫יִם in proper name, of a location see ׳בית ד, ׳עלמן ד (possibly from √ דבל in sense of collect, assemble, Ethiopic Topical Lexicon Name and Setting within Scripture Beth-diblathaim appears once in the Old Testament, in the oracle against Moab recorded by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 48:22). The site is listed among a series of Moabite towns upon which divine judgment is pronounced. Geographical Location Scholars generally place Beth-diblathaim on the elevated plateau of central Moab, east of the Dead Sea and south-east of Mount Nebo. It is grouped in Jeremiah 48 with Dibon and Nebo (Jeremiah 48:21-22), suggesting proximity to those better-attested cities. Some propose a connection with modern Khirbet al-Blaiha or a nearby tell along the Wadi Wala system, yet no definitive identification has been confirmed archaeologically. Its pairing with Dibon—which has yielded the famous Mesha Stele—implies a location along the main north-south caravan route that once linked the Arnon Gorge to the Kerak plateau. Historical Context Jeremiah 48 speaks during the late seventh or early sixth century BC, shortly before Babylon’s assault on the Transjordan. Moab had enjoyed a measure of independence after Assyria’s decline, but its continued reliance on false deities and pride (Jeremiah 48:7, 29) invited the judgment Jeremiah foretold. Beth-diblathaim shared in Moab’s prosperity and therefore also in the sweeping devastation soon imposed by Nebuchadnezzar’s armies (Jeremiah 48:42). The city’s mention testifies to Moab’s extensive settlement network and reminds readers that divine justice addresses every locale, great or small. Canonical Interconnections The element “Diblathaim” echoes Almon-diblathaim in Numbers 33:46-47, a staging point for Israel on its wilderness march. Though the names are not identical, the similarity indicates that this region was well known to ancient Israel. Jeremiah’s inclusion of Beth-diblathaim therefore ties his prophecy back to Israel’s formative era, underscoring Yahweh’s enduring sovereignty over the same terrain through successive generations. Theological and Prophetic Significance 1. Completeness of Judgment: By itemizing places such as Beth-diblathaim, the Lord shows that His verdict touches every sector of Moab. “Judgment has come upon… Dibon, Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim” (Jeremiah 48:22). Divine justice is thorough, sparing neither fortress nor frontier village. Lessons for Ministry and Faith • God’s omniscience: The mention of an otherwise obscure town proves that no corner of the world escapes His notice (Hebrews 4:13). Related Biblical Themes Moabite pride and downfall – Isaiah 16; Zephaniah 2:8-11 God’s concern for individual cities – Amos 1–2; Revelation 2–3 Restoration of the nations – Isaiah 19:23-25; Romans 15:9-12 Forms and Transliterations דִּבְלָתָֽיִם׃ דבלתים׃ diḇ·lā·ṯā·yim diḇlāṯāyim divlaTayimLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 48:22 HEB: וְעַל־ בֵּ֖ית דִּבְלָתָֽיִם׃ NAS: Dibon, Nebo and Beth-diblathaim, KJV: and upon Nebo, and upon Bethdiblathaim, INT: Nebo against and Beth-diblathaim 1 Occurrence |