BETH.The second letter of the Heb. alphabet, and as such used in Psa_119:1-176 as the heading of the second part, each verse of which begins with this letter.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Edited by James Hastings, D.D. Published in 1909
("a fixed dwelling"); as in Gen_33:17, "Jacob built him an house," marking his settlement after wanderings (compare 2Sa_7:2-6). Then "any dwelling", as "a tent". Then "a family". Also "a temple". "The garden house," Beth-haggan (2Ki_9:27), by way of which Ahaziah fled; now Jenin, formerly EN-GANNIN, on the way from Samaria northward, overlooking the great plain.
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
By Andrew Robert Fausset, co-Author of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown's 1888.
Beth. The most general word for a house or habitation. It has the special meaning of a temple or house of worship. Beth is more frequently employed in compound names of places than any other word.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
By Dr. William Smith.Published in 1863
Beth (house) is often found as the first element of proper names of places in the Bible. It is only necessary to observe that, in all such compounds, as Bethel, etc., the latter part of the word must be considered, according to our Occidental languages, to depend on the former in the relation of the genitive; so that Bethel can only mean house of God.' The notion of house is, of course, capable of a wide application, and is used to mean temple, habitation, place, according to the sense of the word with which it is combined.
The Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature
by John Kitto.