("house of nothingness or vanity".) On the mountains of Benjamin, E. of Bethel (Jos_7:2; Jos_18:12), between it and Michmash 1Sa_13:5; 1Sa_14:23). Near it was the "wilderness," i.e. pasture land of Bethaven (Jos_18:12.) In Hos_4:15; Hos_5:1; Hos_10:5 Bethel, "house of God," is called Bethaven, "house of vanity", because of Jeroboam's golden calf.
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
By Andrew Robert Fausset, co-Author of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown's 1888.
Beth-a'ven. (house of nothingness, that is, of idols). A place on the mountains of Benjamin, east of Bethel, Jos_7:2; Jos_18:12, and lying between that place and Michmash. 1Sa_13:5; 1Sa_14:28.
In Hos_4:15; Hos_5:8; Hos_10:5, the name is transferred to the neighboring Bethel, once the "house of God", but then the "house of idols" or "naught".
Smith's Bible Dictionary
By Dr. William Smith.Published in 1863
the same with Bethel. This city, upon the revolt of the ten tribes, belonged to the kingdom of Israel, and was therefore one of the cities in which Jeroboam set up his golden calves. Whence the prophet in derision calls it, Bethaven, the house of vanity or idols, Hos_4:15, instead of Bethel, the house of God, the name which Jacob formerly gave it, when he had the vision of the mysterious ladder, reaching from earth to heaven, Gen_28:19.
Biblical and Theological Dictionary by Richard Watson
PRINTER 1849.
Beth?A?ven (house of idols), a nickname for the town of Bethel, applied to it after it became the seat of the worship of the golden calves [BETHEL]. There was, however, a town of this name not far from Bethel eastward (Jos_7:2; 1Sa_13:5), the existence of which, perhaps, occasioned the transfer of the name to Bethel. There was also a desert of the same name (Jos_18:12).
The Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature
by John Kitto.