In this paper we compare the solution of the one-dimensional beam model and the numerical solution of the two-dimensional linearized elasticity problem for rectangular domain of the beam-like form. We first derive the beam model starting from the two-dimensional linearized elasticity, the same way it is derived from the three-dimensional linearized elasticity. Then we present the numerical solution of the two-dimensional problem by finite element method. As expected the difference of two approximations becomes smaller as the thickness of the beam tends to zero. We then analyze the applicability of the one-dimensional model and verify the main properties of the beam modeling for thin beams.