Beth-horon Upper

Upper Beth-horon was a town located in the territory of Ephraim, near its border with Benjamin. It was situated in the central hill country of Israel, not far from its sister city, Lower Beth-horon.

The name Beth-horon means "house of caves" or "house of hollows" in Hebrew, possibly referring to the topography of the area. Upper Beth-horon was located at a higher elevation than Lower Beth-horon and was connected to it by a road known as the Ascent of Beth-horon.

In Joshua 16:5, Upper Beth-horon is mentioned as part of the description of Ephraim's border. The town was rebuilt by Sheerah, the daughter of Ephraim, along with Lower Beth-horon (1 Chronicles 7:24).

During the reign of King Solomon, Upper Beth-horon was one of the cities he fortified as part of his building projects (2 Chronicles 8:5). This fortification was likely due to the town's strategic location along the road connecting the coastal plain with the interior of the country.

Although Upper Beth-horon is mentioned less frequently in the Bible than Lower Beth-horon, its proximity to the latter and its inclusion in the list of fortified cities suggest that it played a significant role in the defense and administration of the region.

Today, the ancient site of Upper Beth-horon is identified with the modern Palestinian village of Beit Ur al-Foqa.