Bera Gift, or son of evil, king of Sodom at the time of the invasion of the four kings under Chedorlaomer (Gen 14:2, Gen 14:8, Gen 14:17, Gen 14:21).

Berachah Blessing. (1.) A valley not far from Engedi, where Jehoshaphat overthrew the Moabites and Ammonites (Ch2 20:26). It has been identified with the valley of Bereikut. (R.V., "Beracah.") (2.) One of the Benjamite warriors, Saul's brethren, who joined David when at Ziklag (Ch1 12:3).

Berea A city of Macedonia to which Paul with Silas and Timotheus went when persecuted at Thessalonica (Act 17:10, Act 17:13), and from which also he was compelled to withdraw, when he fled to the sea-coast and thence sailed to Athens (Act 17:14, Act 17:15). Sopater, one of Paul's companions belonged to this city, and his conversion probably took place at this time (Act 20:4). It is now called Verria.

Berechiah blessed by Jehovah. (1.) Son of Shimea, and father of Asaph the musician (Ch1 6:39; Ch1 15:17). (2.) One of the seven Ephraimite chieftains, son of Meshillemoth (Ch2 28:12). (3.) The fourth of the five sons of Zerubbabel, of the royal family of Judah (Ch1 3:20). (4.) The father of the prophet Zechariah (Zac 1:1, Zac 1:7).

Bered hail. (1.) A town in the south of Palestine (Gen 16:14), in the desert of Shur, near Lahai-roi. (2.) A son of Shuthelah, and grandson of Ephraim (Ch1 7:20).

Beriah A gift, or in evil. (1.) One of Asher's four sons, and father of Heber (Gen 46:17). (2.)A son of Ephraim (Ch1 7:20), born after the slaughter of his brothers, and so called by his father "because it went evil with his house" at that time. (3.)A Benjamite who with his brother Shema founded Ajalon and expelled the Gittites (Ch1 8:13).

Bernice Bearer of victory, the eldest daughter of Agrippa I., the Herod Agrippa of Act 12:20. After the early death of her first husband she was married to her uncle Herod, king of Chalcis. After his death (A.D. 40) she lived in incestuous connection with her brother Agrippa II. (Act 25:13, Act 25:23; Act 26:30). They joined the Romans at the outbreak of the final war between them and the Jews, and lived afterwards at Rome.

Berodach-baladan The king of Babylon who sent a friendly deputation to Hezekiah (Kg2 20:12). In Isa 39:1 he is called Merodach-baladan (q.v.).

Beryl The rendering in the Authorized Version of the Hebrew word tarshish, a precious stone; probably so called as being brought from Tarshish. It was one of the stones on the breastplate of the high priest (Exo 28:20; R.V. marg., "chalcedony;" Exo 39:13). The colour of the wheels in Ezekiel's vision was as the colour of a beryl stone (Eze 1:16; Eze 10:9; R.V., "stone of Tarshish"). It is mentioned in Sol 5:14; Dan 10:6; Rev 21:20. In Eze 28:13 the LXX. render the word by "chrysolite," which the Jewish historian Josephus regards as its proper translation. This also is the rendering given in the Authorized Version in the margin. That was a gold-coloured gem the topaz of ancient authors.

Besom The rendering of a Hebrew word meaning sweeper, occurs only in Isa 14:23, of the sweeping away, the utter ruin, of Babylon.