Beth-haccerem

Beth-haccerem (meaning: house of the vineyard) was a place in the tribe of Judah that served as a signal station during times of military threat. The prophet Jeremiah cites it as a lookout point where a beacon fire was to be raised as a warning signal to the surrounding region when the enemy advanced from the north. The site's elevated position made it suitable for this defensive communication role.

In the book of Nehemiah, Beth-haccerem appears as the administrative district over which Malchijah the son of Rechab was ruler, and he rebuilt the Dung Gate of Jerusalem as his portion of the wall-building project under Nehemiah. The site is commonly identified with Ramat Rahel, an archaeological site between Jerusalem and Bethlehem that has yielded evidence of Iron Age occupation including royal storage jars stamped with the lamelech seal, consistent with its administrative role in the monarchy period.