A town in the Delta, about 52 mi. (c. 83 km.) northeast of Memphis, now Tell Basṭa. It was the center of the worship of the cat-headed goddess, Bastet, who was worshiped with disgusting orgies (see Herodotus ii. 66). A cemetery for cats has been found on this ancient site, which now exists only in ruins. The town is more commonly known under the name Bubastis.

 The same as On of Gen. 41:45, 50 (the place from which Joseph’s wife came), and as Beth-shemesh (house of the sun) of Jer. 43:13, the Heliopolis (city of the sun) of the Greeks, so called because from the remotest times it was the chief seat of Egyptian sun worship.