BETHANY bĕth’ ə nĭ (Βηθανία, G1029; meaning uncertain, though prob. house of dates or figs). 1. A village about two m. SE of Jerusalem (John 11:18) on the road to Jericho at the Mount of Olives and near to Bethphage from which vicinity Jesus sent for the colt (Mark 11:1; Luke 19:29). Mary, Martha and Lazarus lived there and it was there that Lazarus was raised from the dead (John 11:17ff.). It seems generally to have served as Jesus’ abode when in Judea (Matt 21:17; Mark 11:11). Bethany also was the home of Simon the leper in whose house our Lord was anointed with the alabaster jar of ointment at the hands of a woman (Mark 14:3-9; Luke 7:36-50; John 12:1-8). According to Luke, our Lord’s ascension took place near Bethany (Luke 24:50, 51).

Bethany still exists as a settled town today, its population being something like 1000. It is known as el-’Aziriyeh, “the place of Lazarus.” The traditional tomb of Lazarus is marked and fig, olive and almond trees continue to grow there.

2. A place E of the Jordan where John baptized and where his confrontation with the delegation of priests and Levites from Jerusalem took place (John 1:28). The KJV reads “Bethabara” on the basis of certain (mostly late) MS evidence. Origen took the name as Βηθαβαρά, G1028, though admitting that most MSS of his day were against that reading (Comm. on John, VI. 24). Having visited Pal. he knew of no place called Βηθανία, G1029, near the Jordan and, in any case, he was able to find an allegorical interpretation of Bethabara which peculiarly suited his hermeneutical method. He suggests that Bethabara meant “house of preparation” and links this with John’s ministry of preparation there. However, the present MS evidence does favor Βηθανία, G1029, it being supported by the Bodmer papyrus of a.d. 200, for example. The site having most claim to be that of “Bethany beyond Jordan” is prob. Qasr el-Yehud, E of the Jordan opposite Jericho where a monastery of St. John now stands.

Bibliography F. M. Abel, Géographie de la Palestine, II (1938), 264, 265.