Bochim
Encyclopedia
Bochim is a place mentioned in the biblical book of Judges
, situated west of the river Jordan. Its name means 'weepers'.
ites are rebuked by 'the angel of the LORD' for making a covenant with the Canaan
ites, rather than taking possession of their land as they had been commanded. The name, 'weepers', refers to the Israelite response to this rebuke - they wept and offered sacrifices to God.
. Burney draws attention to the unusual appearance of the name 'Bochim' before the incident after which the place is supposedly named, as well as highlighting the Septuagint translation of verse 1: 'to Bochim and to Bethel and to the House of Israel'. Other commentators suggest that Bochim was located near Bethel, and that the lack of other Biblical mentions is due to Bochim ceasing to be an important place in the life of Israel. Y. Kaufmann proposes that Bochim was a place of assembly near to Bethel, whilst G. F. Moore has associated Bochim with Shiloh. Other theories have also been advanced.
Book of Judges
The Book of Judges is the seventh book of the Hebrew bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its title describes its contents: it contains the history of Biblical judges, divinely inspired prophets whose direct knowledge of Yahweh allows them to act as decision-makers for the Israelites, as...
, situated west of the river Jordan. Its name means 'weepers'.
Biblical usage
Bochim appears in only one section of Judges (in verses 1 and 5 of chapter 2). In the narrative, it is the place at which the IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
ites are rebuked by 'the angel of the LORD' for making a covenant with the Canaan
Canaan
Canaan is a historical region roughly corresponding to modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and the western parts of Jordan...
ites, rather than taking possession of their land as they had been commanded. The name, 'weepers', refers to the Israelite response to this rebuke - they wept and offered sacrifices to God.
Location
The exact location of Bochim is disputed, with commentators drawing different conclusions from the absence of other mentions in the Bible. Some, such as Burney, suggest that Bochim is actually another name for BethelBethel
Bethel was a border city described in the Hebrew Bible as being located between Benjamin and Ephraim...
. Burney draws attention to the unusual appearance of the name 'Bochim' before the incident after which the place is supposedly named, as well as highlighting the Septuagint translation of verse 1: 'to Bochim and to Bethel and to the House of Israel'. Other commentators suggest that Bochim was located near Bethel, and that the lack of other Biblical mentions is due to Bochim ceasing to be an important place in the life of Israel. Y. Kaufmann proposes that Bochim was a place of assembly near to Bethel, whilst G. F. Moore has associated Bochim with Shiloh. Other theories have also been advanced.