Editing Bethel (section)

===Book of Judges===
In the book of {{bibleverse|Judges|1:22}} the descendants of Joseph capture the city of Bethel, which again is said to have previously been called Luz. At {{bibleverse|Judges|4:5}} the prophetess [[Deborah]] is said to dwell at Bethel under the palm-tree of Deborah (presumably a reference to {{bibleverse|Genesis|35:8}}, where another [[Deborah (Genesis)|Deborah]], the nurse of Jacob's mother [[Rebecca]], is said to have been buried under a tree at Bethel). Bethel is said in {{bibleverse|Judges|4:5}} to be in [[Mount Ephraim]].

In the narrative of [[Levite's concubine]], in {{bibleverse|Judges|20:18}}, where the Hebrew Beth-El is translated in the [[King James Version]] as the "House of God", the people of Israel go to Bethel to ask counsel of God when they are planning to attack the [[Tribe of Benjamin]] at the battle of Gibeah. They make a second visit ({{bibleverse|Judges|20:26}}) after losing the battle.

Bethel was evidently already an important religious centre at this time; it was so important, in fact, that the [[Ark of the Covenant]] was kept there, under the care of [[Phinehas]] the grandson of [[Aaron]] ({{bibleverse|Judges|20:27}} f). At {{bibleverse|Judges|21:19}}, Bethel is said to be south of [[Shiloh (biblical city)|Shiloh]].