1st Kings Chapter 9 verse 17 Holy Bible
And Solomon built Gezer, and Beth-horon the nether,
read chapter 9 in ASV
... and Solomon was the builder of Gezer and Beth-horon the lower,
read chapter 9 in BBE
-- And Solomon built Gezer, and lower Beth-horon,
read chapter 9 in DARBY
And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,
read chapter 9 in KJV
And Solomon built Gezer, and Beth-horon the nether,
read chapter 9 in WBT
Solomon built Gezer, and Beth Horon the lower,
read chapter 9 in WEB
And Solomon buildeth Gezer, and Beth-Horon the lower,
read chapter 9 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 17. - And Solomon built Gezer [In the case of Gezer it was an actual rebuilding. But as applied to Beth-boron, etc., "built" probably means enlarged, strengthened] and Beth-horon the nether [mentioned in connexion with Gezer, Joshua 16:3 (cf. 10:10). It is deserving of mention that the two cities of Beth-horon still survive in the modern villages of Beitur el-tahta and el-fok," names which are "clearly corruptions of Beth-horon "the Nether" and "the Upper" (Stanley, S. and P., p. 208): One lies at the foot of the ravine, on an eminence, the other at the summit of the pass. Like Megiddo and Gezer, this town, too, lay on a high road, viz., that between Jerusalem and the sea coast. The selection of Beth-horon for fortification by Solomon is also justified by history - three decisive battles having been fought here (see Joshua 10:10; 1 Macc. 3:13-24, and Jos., Bell Jud. 2.19.8. The object of the king in fortifying this place was to protect the uplands of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim against invasion from the Philistine plain. It is perhaps not unnoteworthy that, according to our author, it was Beth-horon the nether that Solomon "built," as this would naturally have suffered more than its loftier neighbour from war. According to 2 Chronicles 8:5, however, Solomon built Beth-horon the upper also.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(17) Beth-horon the nether.--The name "Beth-horon" ("the house of caves,") was given to two small towns or villages (still called Beit--r), near Gezer, commanding the steep and rugged pass from the maritime plain, celebrated for three great victories of Israel--the great victory of Joshua (Joshua , 10), the victory of Judas Maccabaeus (1 Maccabees 3:13-24), and the last victory of the Jews over the Roman army of Cestius Gallus, before the fall of Jerusalem (Josephus, Wars of the Jews, ii. 19). The lower Beth-horon stands On a low eminence on the edge of the plain.
