Beersheba

Beersheba (pop. 112,600), chief city of the Negev Desert in southern Israel, 45 mi (72 km) southwest of Jerusalem. The city was closely associated with the biblical patriarchs Abraham and Isaac. After almost 2,000 years of somnolent existence, Beersheba was rebuilt by the Turks in the late 19th century. Since 1948 it has grown into a major industrial, trading, and transportation center.