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Re: The meaning of Bethany
It becomes more transparent when you remember that it is originally a place name. Imagine a farm or a hamlet surrounded by fig trees. It will be a perfect name for that place. *Beth* is a frequent name element of place names in Ancient Palestine, like *-heim* in German or *-ham* in English.
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So the house part...? Is that like another term for a place, in this sense?
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it's like -ham in English town names, or -heim in German town names.
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