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List of minor biblical places
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This is a list of places mentioned in the Bible, which do not have their own Wikipedia articles. See also the list of biblical places for locations which do have their own article.
Abana
[edit]Abana, according to 2 Kings 5:12, was one of the "rivers of Damascus", along with the Pharpar river.[1]
Abdon
[edit]Abdon was a Levitical city in Asher allocated to the Gershonites according to Joshua 21:30 and 1 Chronicles 6:74.[2]
Abel-Shittim
[edit]Abel-Shittim, the last Israelite encampment before crossing into the Promised Land, is identified by Josephus with Abila in Peraea, probably the site of modern Tell el-Hammam in Jordan.
Adam
[edit]Adam was a location which, according to Joshua 3:16, was along the Jordan River, near Zarethan.[3] According to Cheyne and Black, it may be a scribal error for "Adamah".[4]
Adadah
[edit]Adadah is the name of a town mentioned in Joshua 15:22, in a list of towns inside the territory of the Tribe of Judah.[5] The name "Adadah" appears nowhere else in the Bible.[6] According to the Encyclopaedia Biblica, the name "Adadah" may be a miswritten version of Ararah, a name equivalent to "Aroer".[6]
Addan
[edit]Addan or Addon is a Babylonian location mentioned in Ezra 2:59 and Nehemiah 7:61.
Adithaim
[edit]Adithaim, mentioned only in Joshua 15:36,[7] is listed among locations belonging to Judah in the Shephelah.[8]
Adria
[edit]Adria, mentioned in Acts 27:27,[9] is a term used for "the division of the Mediterranean which lies between Sicily and Malta on the West and Crete on the East".[10]
Aesora
[edit]Aesora (or Esora) is a location mentioned only in Judith 4:4.[11] The Book of Judith is considered canonical by the Catholic and Orthodox churches, but not by Jews and most Protestants.
The Septuagint calls the place Aisora, Arasousia, Aisoraa, or Assaron, depending on the manuscript.[12] The Book of Judith places it between Choba and the Valley of Salem.[12] According to Cheyne and Black (1899), the exact location is uncertain.[12] It could be the same as Tel Hazor, which is mentioned in the Book of Joshua; or at an As[h]er-Michmethath (Joshua 16:6) which Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich and the Bordeaux Pilgrim place at modern Tayasir.[13][14]
Aetan
[edit]Aetan appears in the Septuagint version of the Book of Joshua.[15][16]
Ahava
[edit]Ahava is the name of a canal or river mentioned in the Book of Ezra, where Ezra and the latter group of returning exiles assembled before travelling to Jerusalem.[17][18] Its location is unknown.[18][19] The equivalent text in the Greek 1 Esdras refers to "the river Theras".[20]
Albert Barnes says that it was both a town and a river.[21]
Almon
[edit]Almon is a location mentioned in Joshua 21:18 given to the Kohathites,[22] and thought to be near the modern Israeli settlement at Almon, Mateh Binyamin in the West Bank.
Amad
[edit]Amad is a biblical place-name mentioned only in Joshua 19:26.[23][24] It appears in a list of locations that make up the borders of the territory assigned to the biblical Tribe of Asher.[24]
Amam
[edit]Amam (Hebrew: אמם, 'amam) is an unidentified site in the Negeb of Judah, near the border with Edom, mentioned in Joshua 15:26.[25][26]
Anaharath
[edit]Anaharath is described in Joshua 19:19 as a location on the border of the territory belonging to the Tribe of Issachar.[27] It was most likely located at the site now known as Tel Rekhesh[28]/Tell el-Mukharkhash in the Tabor Stream valley.
Arah of the Sidonians
[edit]Arah of the Sidonians is a place-name which appears in Joshua 13:4.[29] Other translations render the name Mearah.[30] The initial syllable me- here is commonly interpreted as a preposition, yielding the translation "from Arah" instead of "Mearah". The me- is also interpreted as "from" by Thomas Kelly Cheyne, although he additionally proposed that further scribal error had influenced the word.[31]
Arumah
[edit]Arumah is a location mentioned in Judges 9:41, as the place where Gideon's son Abimelech lived for a time. The location is generally considered to be the same as the modern Jebel el-Urmah.[32]
Ascent of Luhith
[edit]See Luhith.
Ashnah
[edit]Ashnah is the name given in Joshua 15 (verses 33 and 43) for two places in the Shephelah of Judah. For the first, the modern location Aslin has been proposed; for the second, Idna.[33]
Ataroth-addar
[edit]Ataroth-addar is a location mentioned in Joshua 16:5.[34] It may be the same location as the Ataroth mentioned in 16:2.[35]
Aznoth-tabor
[edit]Aznoth-tabor is the name of a place in the territory of the Tribe of Naphtali. It is probably the modern Khirbet el-Jebeil,[36] c. 3 miles north of Mount Tabor.
B
[edit]Beer
[edit]Beer was a location reached by the Israelites during their Exodus journey, mentioned in Numbers 21:16-18.[37] After the death of Aaron, the Israelites moved on, apparently at pace, through a series of locations along the Moabite/Amorite border. There was a well at Beer, where Moses was able to assemble and refresh the travelling community, and which was associated with a song regarding the Israelite leaders and 'the lawgiver' in providing water.
Another Beer (or Bera)[38] is mentioned in Judges 9:21 as the place to which Gideon's youngest son, Joatham or Jotham, fled to escape from Abimelech after his 69 brothers had been killed.[39] Matthew Poole described Beer as "a place remote from Shechem, and out of Abimelech's reach";[40] and the Pulpit Commentary suggests it is "either the same as Beeroth, among the heights of the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 9:17), now El-Birch, 'the first halting-place for caravans on the northern road from Jerusalem' (Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, Sinai and Palestine, p. 210); or a place called by Eusebius 'Beta', now El-Birch, eight Roman miles from Eleutheropolis (now Beit Jibrin), and possibly the same as the place of the same name described by Maundrell as four hours from Jerusalem, and two hours west of Bethel; or, as Ewald thinks, Beer beyond Jordan (Numbers 21:16 [see above])". The commentary concludes that "it is impossible to decide which, or whether any, of these is the place designated as Jotham's place of refuge.[41]
Beer-lahai-roi
[edit]Beer-lahai-roi or well of the Life which saw me is the name of a well in the Negev which is known for its appearance in a story in which God appears to Hagar.[42][43] Later the Book of Genesis claims that Isaac stayed near it.[44] Genesis locates this well in the wilderness of Beer-sheba,[45] "on the way to Shur ... between Kadesh and Bered".[46][42] Because the Beer in Beer-lahai-roi is simply the Hebrew word "well", the King James Version renders the whole expression "the well Lahairoi".
The biblical references to it may place it somewhere in the vicinity of the modern Bir 'Asluj.[47]
Beeroth
[edit]
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| bȝ(j)rtw[48][49] in hieroglyphs | ||||
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| Era: New Kingdom (1550–1069 BC) | ||||
See Beeroth (biblical city).
Beeroth (Hebrew: בְּאֵרוֹת; in LXX Ancient Greek: Βηρωθ) is a minor city in Gibeon mentioned in Joshua 9:17. Maspero, Petrie, also Müller and Budge identify the place name Baertou mentioned in the Annals of Thutmose III at Temple of Karnak as biblical Beeroth.[48]
Beon
[edit]Beon is a location mentioned only in Numbers 32:3. It may be a copying error for "Meon".[50]
Bera
[edit]An alternative name for Beer.[51]
Bered
[edit]Bered is a location mentioned only in Genesis 16:14, which locates Hagar between Kadesh and Bered at the time of her meeting with an angel while pregnant.
Berothah
[edit]Berothah is a place mentioned in passing in Ezekiel 47:16.
Beth-Anath
[edit]A place mentioned in Judges 1:33 and situated in the tribal territory of Naphtali.[52]
Bethanath
[edit]Betharabah
[edit]Beth-aram
[edit]Betharbel
[edit]Beth-aven
[edit]Beth-aven was a city located within the tribal territory of Benjamin (Joshua 18:12), associated with Jonathan's triumph over the Philistines in the Battle of Michmas.[53] Beth-aven, in Hosea 4:15 It Is opposed to Beth-el.[54][55] In the same book, a caution is issued to Beth-Aven alongside Gibeah and Ramah about a looming invasion.[53] Proposals for Beth-Aven's location vary, with none confirmed. Some suggest it is a derogatory term for Beth-el, reflecting its association with Jeroboam's golden calf.[53]
Beth-azmaveth
[edit]Beth-barah
[edit]A place mentioned in Judges 7:24.[56]
Beth-birei
[edit]Beth Car
[edit]Beth-car, Beth Car: The point to which the Israelites drove back the Philistines following their raid on the Israelite assembly convened by Samuel at Mizpah, recorded in 1 Samuel 7:5-12.[57]
Beth-diblathaim
[edit]Bethemek
[edit]Bether
[edit]Beth-ezal
[edit]Beth-gader
[edit]Beth-gamul
[edit]Beth Jeshimoth
[edit]Beth Jeshimoth (Hebrew, Beit ha-Yeshimot) was a town in the Transjordan, which is mentioned in four verses of the Hebrew Bible: Numbers 33:49, Joshua 12:3 and 13:20, and Ezekiel 25:9. Numbers mentions it in a description of where the Israelites encamped during their wilderness journeys. According to Joshua 13:20, it was part of the land allocated to the Tribe of Reuben. Ezekiel 25:9 lists it as one of three cities which constitute "the glory of the country" of Moab, in a passage in which God promises to punish Moab. During the First Jewish-Roman War, Beth Jeshimoth (Bezemoth) was captured by the Roman Imperial army, and was used by them to resettle deserters who had joined the Roman ranks.[58]
The King James Version spells the name as Bethjesimoth and Bethjeshimoth. Classical Greek sources: Bezemoth.
Beth Jeshimoth is commonly identified with the village of Sweimeh in modern-day Jordan.[59]
Beth Lebaoth
[edit]Beth Lebaoth, Beth-lebaoth or Lebaoth is located in the Negev, and in territory which according to the Book of Joshua was assigned to the Tribe of Simeon.[60][61]
Beth-marcaboth
[edit]Beth-meon
[edit]Beth-millo
[edit]Beth-millo, Judges 9:6, Judges 9:20
Beth Pelet
[edit]Beth Pelet (spelled Bethpalet and Bethphelet in the King James Version) was a location in the territory assigned to the Tribe of Judah by Joshua 15:27, and was occupied by Judahites in Yehud Medinata following the return from the Babylonian captivity according to Nehemiah 11:26. Its location is not certain, but may have been along the southern edge of Judah near the border with Edom.[62]
Beth-pazzez
[edit]Beth Peor
[edit]Beth Peor – also transliterated as Bethpeor (KJ21), Beth-peor (ASV), Beth-pe'or (RSV), Beit-P'or (CJB) or Phogar (Douai-Rheims Bible) – is, according to Deuteronomy 3:29 and Deuteronomy 4:46, the location "opposite which" the Israelites were camped after their victories over Sihon, king of the Amorites and Og, king of Bashan, after their captured lands were allocated to the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh,[63] and where Moses delivered his sermon summarizing covenant history and the Ten Commandments in the narrative of the book of Deuteronomy.[64][65]
Beth-phelet
[edit]Beth-rapha
[edit]Bohan
[edit]See Stone of Bohan.
C
[edit]Caleb-ephrathah
[edit]Caleb-ephrathah or Caleb-ephratah is a place mentioned only in 1 Chronicles 2:24, where it is said that Hezron died there.[66]
Camon
[edit]Kamon is mentioned only once in the Bible. While only one Hebrew name is given in the Masoretic text,[67] both Καμων (Kamôn) and Ραμμω (Rhammô) are found in the Septuagint manuscripts.[68][69]
In the 19th century, Easton believed it was probably located on the slopes of Mount Carmel.[70] One possible etymology of the term could come from קָמָה (Qamāh), which means "to rise", possibly indicating that it was a fortified place situated on high ground.[69] A place named Καμους (Kamous) was mentioned by Polybius and was conquered by Antiochus III.[71] It might be the same location.[72]
However, according to more recent research, the term might have a primarily symbolic meaning, deriving from the Greek Kαμίνος (Kaminos), which means "furnace".[73][74] This interpretation is reinforced by Pseudo-Philo, who interprets a passage related to Jair by stating: "And in the fire in which you will die, there you will have a dwelling place."[73][75]
Carem
[edit]Carem appears in the Septuagint version of the Book of Joshua.[15][16]
Casiphia
[edit]Casiphia or Kasiphia is a place-name found only in Ezra 8:17, referring to an unknown location in Babylon.[76] Ezra is recorded as having gotten Levites from Casiphia in order to serve in the temple of Jerusalem.
Cave of Makkedah
[edit]See Makkedah.
Chephirah
[edit]See Chephirah.
Chezib
[edit]Chezib, a Canaanite village where the sons of Judah were born, thought to be Khirbet Ghazy; now a ruin.
Culon
[edit]Culon appears in the Septuagint version of the Book of Joshua.[15][16]
D
[edit]Diblah
[edit]Diblah (also called Diblath) is a place-name found in Ezekiel 6:14.[77] It is probably a variant form of the name Riblah.[78][79]
Dilean
[edit]Dilean is a place-name found in Joshua 15:38, in a list of locations allotted to the tribe of Judah in the Shephelah. The site is unknown, but from the position of the town in the list, it would appear to be somewhere north of Tel Lachish and Eglon.[80][81]
Dimonah
[edit]Dimonah is a place listed in Joshua 15:22 as being inside the territory of Judah along its southern border with Edom. It may be the same as Dibon.[82]
Dura
[edit]The "plain of Dura" is a location mentioned in Daniel 3:1, as the place where the king of Babylon built an image of himself. The location is uncertain, as there were several places named Dura in the region.[83]
E
[edit]Eglaim
[edit]Eglaim is a Moabite city mentioned by Isaiah in his proclamation against Moab (Isaiah 15:8). Its location is unknown.
Elealeh
[edit]Elealeh was a Moabite town. Every time it is mentioned in the Bible, Heshbon is mentioned as well.[84] The Book of Numbers assigns Elealeh to the Tribe of Reuben.[85] Thomas Kelly Cheyne believed that where the present Hebrew text of Isaiah 15:8 reads Beer Elim, the original likely read b- [Hebrew preposition "in"] Elealeh.[84] Today the location of the biblical Elealeh is called elʿAl.[86]
Eleph
[edit]Eleph is the name given in Joshua 18:28, apparently for a town in the territory of the Tribe of Benjamin. Because the name "Eleph" means thousand, and because the form found in Joshua is in Hebrew ha-eleph, literally "the thousand", Thomas Kelly Cheyne believed there was an error in the text, and that ha-eleph was a copyist's mistake for either Taralah or Irpeel.[87] Another understanding of the word is that it is part of a compound name for a town called Zela Haeleph, instead of "Zela" and "Eleph" being two distinct towns, as in the King James Version.[88] Conder and Kitchener identified Eleph with Lifta.[89]
Elon-beth-hanan
[edit]Elon-beth-hanan (sometimes written Elonbethhanan, Elonbeth-hanan, Elon Bethhanan, etc.) is apparently the name of a place recorded in 1 Kings 4:9. 1 Kings 4 asserts that Solomon, king of Israel, divided his kingdom into twelve administrative districts, each with a governor responsible for delivering taxation from the region to the king. The region assigned to a Ben-Deker is recorded as including Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan. Instead of beth, some manuscripts read ben, the Hebrew word for "son of," yielding the reading "Elon son of Hanan."[90] Instead of "Elon-beth-hanan," the Septuagint reads "and Elon as far as Beth-hanan", a reading endorsed as "probably right" by the Encyclopaedia Biblica, although the Encyclopaedia expresses doubt as to whether "Beth-hanan" is correct.[90]
Elon-meonenim
[edit]See Meonenim.
Eltolad
[edit]Eltolad is a location in Canaan mentioned in the Book of Joshua. Joshua 15:30 considers it a part of the territory of Judah in the Negev along the southern border with Edom, but Joshua 19:4 treats it as part of the territory of the Tribe of Simeon. 1 Chronicles 4:29 refers to it as "Tolad."[91]
Enam
[edit]Enam, according to Joshua 15:34, was a town in the Shephelah of the Tribe of Judah. It may be the same location as the Enaim where, in the narrative found in the book of Genesis, Tamar seduced the patriarch Judah.[92][self-published source][93]
En-eglaim
[edit]En-eglaim (Eneglaim, En Eglaim) is a location mentioned in a vision of the prophet Ezekiel. According to his vision, the Dead Sea (a salty lake in which fish cannot live) would one day be filled with fresh water, and fishers would cast their nets "from Engedi to En-eglaim."[94] According to Thomas Kelly Cheyne (1899), a likely theory would be that the place referred to is near where the Jordan River empties into the Dead Sea, resulting in the freshwater fish washed into the Dead Sea dying of the excessive salt content and washing up dead on the beach. Cheyne suggested Ain Hajleh (Ain Hajlah) as a possible location, thinking that the Hebrew Eglaim might be a later version in a text which originally read "Hoglah," as in the place-name "Beth-hoglah."[94] At present the exact location is still unidentified, though proposals include Ain Hajlah, Ain Feshka, or Eglaim.[95]
En-gannim
[edit]En-gannim is the name of two towns mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.[96]
- A town in the Shephelah of Judah, according to Joshua 15:34.
- A town in the territory of the Tribe of Issachar, according to Joshua 19:21. See also Anem.
En-haddah
[edit]En-haddah is a town mentioned only once in the Bible, in Joshua 19:21, where it is assigned to the territory of the Tribe of Issachar. Due to its placement in a list of towns, it would appear to be close to En-gannim, which immediately precedes it.[97]
En-hakkore
[edit]En-hakkore is the name of a fountain, mentioned only in Judges 15:18-19. In the biblical narrative, Samson the Israelite hero is thirsty, and calls (kara) to God in fear that he will die of thirst. In response, God causes a spring to miraculously appear. Samson memorializes the incident by naming the spring En Hakkore, Hebrew for "spring of the caller." According to Encyclopaedia Biblica, the original etymology of En-hakkore is "spring of the partridge," while the meaning "spring of the caller" is a later legendary invention.[98]
Ephratha
[edit]Ephratha (Bethlehem); from the Septuagint version of the Book of Joshua.[15][16]
Esek
[edit]Esek is the name of the first of two wells which, according to Genesis, were the object of an argument between Isaac and herdsmen from the Philistine city of Gerar.[99] The Hebrew form of the name as preserved in the Masoretic Text is Esek, while Greek Septuagint manuscripts have the forms Adikia or Sykophantia.
En-shemesh
[edit]En-shemesh, meaning "fountain of the sun", is the name of a place along the border between Judah and the Tribe of Benjamin, between Ein Rogel and Adummim.[100][101]
Eshan
[edit]Eshan (Eshean) is the name of a place in the hill-country of the territory of the Tribe of Judah.[102] The location has not been identified.[103]
Esora
[edit]Esora is the King James Bible and Revised Version spelling of "Aesora".[11] See Aesora.
Eth-kazin
[edit]Eth-kazin (KJV Ittah-kazin) is the name of a place along the border of the territory of the Tribe of Zebulun, according to Joshua 19:13.
Ezel
[edit]Ezel appears to be the name given to a cairn, rock or milestone in a biblical story concerning David and Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:19). David, the future king of Israel, is a close friend of Jonathan, the son of then-king Saul. Jonathan warns David that Saul may be seeking to kill him, and instructs David to flee. Jonathan instructs David to wait "at the rock Ezel" until Jonathan can understand Saul's intentions, which he will then signal to David so that David can know whether to flee or stay in Saul's court. According to some biblical critics, the word "Ezel" is not a proper noun in Hebrew, and is either a scribal mistake of some kind or a word which is not understood by biblical scholars.[104] The Revised Standard Version refers to it as "yonder stone heap".[105]
G
[edit]Galeed
[edit]Galeed, according to Genesis 31:47-48, is the name given by Jacob to the place where he and Laban reached a peace agreement. The name is Hebrew for "testimonial mound", and is a reference to the pile of stones erected by Jacob and Laban as a memorial, or "witness", of the agreement between the two relatives. Laban called the stone "Jegar-Sahadutha", the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew "Galeed".[106]
Gallim
[edit]Gallim is a biblical place-name. In the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible, Gallim is the name of one location, while the Greek Septuagint contains two locations by that name.
In Isaiah 10:30, the village of Gallim is mentioned alongside Laishah (Tel Dan) and Anathoth, placing it somewhere north of Jerusalem.[107] Michal in 1 Samuel, best known for being the wife of David, was briefly the wife of Palti, son of Laish, a man identified as coming from Gallim.[108]
An additional Gallim (or Galem) is mentioned in the Septuagint text of 15:59a, which contains additional cities assigned to the tribe of Judah which are not recorded in the Masoretic Text.[107][109]
Gath-rimmon
[edit]Gath-rimmon, the Levitical city from Joshua 19:45, Joshua 21:25 and 1 Chronicles 6:69,[110] has been identified by Benjamin Mazar with Tel Gerisa.[111] Anson Rainey supported the notion that it is identical with Gittaim and is to be found at or near Ramla.[112]
Gebim
[edit]Gebim is a biblical place-name which appears only in Isaiah 10:31,[113] in which it is said that "the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee." The location of Gebim is unknown.[114]
Gederothaim
[edit]Gederothaim is a place-name which appears only in Joshua 15:36, in a list of locations possessed by the Tribe of Judah in the Shephelah.[115] Because it appears immediately after the mention of Gederah, some scholars have suggested that "Gederothaim" was introduced by a mistaken copying of the name "Gederah."[115]
Geliloth
[edit]Geliloth is a place-name mentioned in Joshua 18:17, where it describes a location along the boundaries of the territory assigned to the Tribe of Benjamin. The name means "stone-circles."[116]
Gibbar
[edit]Gibbar is a "district of Judah" mentioned in a list of returnees from the Babylonian captivity, where the list claims that 95 of the "sons [i.e. people] of Gibbar" returned.[117][118]
Ginath
[edit]For the possible place-name Ginath, see List of biblical figures § Ginath.
Gittaim
[edit]Gittaim is a place-name which appears several times in the Hebrew Bible. According to Thomas Kelly Cheyne, "there were probably several Gittaims".[119]
- A town called Gittaim in the territory of the Tribe of Benjamin appears in Nehemiah 11:33.[120]
- A town called Gittaim is where the Beerothites were accepted as resident aliens according to 2 Samuel 4:3.[121]
- Based on readings found in the Greek Septuagint, Cheyne suggested that "Gittaim is also probably the name of a town in or near Edom", referred to in Genesis 36:35 and 1 Chronicles 1:46, where the Hebrew text now reads "Avith".[119] Anson Rainey also places "Gath/Gittaim/Gath-rimmon", clearly different from Gath of the Philistines, at or near Ramla.[112]
- In the Septuagint, 1 Samuel 14:33 contains a reference to a Gittaim (Greek geththaim),[122] although Cheyne believes the Septuagint's reading here to be a "manifest error".[119]
Gur-baal
[edit]Gur-baal is the name of a place mentioned in 2 Chronicles 26:7. According to the Chronicler, it was inhabited by "Arabians", and was the object of a successful attack by Uzziah, the king of Judah.
H
[edit]Habor
[edit]Habor is the biblical name for the Khabur River, which was in the wilderness of Judah, and mentioned in 2 Kings 17:6, 18:11.[123]
Hachilah
[edit]The Hill of Hachilah is a place in the wilderness of Judah.[124] It is mentioned in 1 Samuel 23:19, 26:1 as a place where David hid from Saul.[125]
Hadad-Rimmon
[edit]See Zechariah 12:11, Rummanah, Legio, Maximianopolis (Palestine), Hadad.
Hadashah
[edit]
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| ḥwdjsꜣtꜣ(j) or ḥwdꜣsꜣṯ[126][127][128] in hieroglyphs | ||||||||||||
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| Era: New Kingdom (1550–1069 BC) | ||||||||||||
Hadashah (Hebrew: חֲדָשָׁה; in LXX Ancient Greek: Ἀδασὰν), mentioned only in once in the Bible in the Book of Joshua, was a city in the valley of Judah.[129][130] Its name means 'new'.[130] It is mentioned among the cities smitten by Ramesses III in his lists at the Temple of Karnak and the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu as Houdasatha.[126][127][128]
Hali
[edit]Hali is mentioned only in Joshua 19:25, in a list of cities assigned to the Tribe of Asher.[131][132] Stanley Cook believed the name "Hali" may have been a scribal error for "Helbah."[132]
Hammath
[edit]Hammath was one of the fortified cities of Naphtali.[133]
Hammon
[edit]Hammon is the name of two places in the Hebrew Bible.[134] The first is along the borders of the Tribe of Asher.[135][134] The second is a Levitical city inside the territory of the Tribe of Naphtali, which is probably identical to Hammath and Hammoth-dor (1 Chronicles 6:76), or verse 61 in some Bibles.[134]
Hammoth-dor
[edit]Hammoth-dor was a Levitical city of Naphtali.[136] See Hammoth-dor.
Hamonah
[edit]Hamonah is a city mentioned in Ezekiel's apocalyptic prophecy, located, according to the text as it now stands, in the "Valley of Hamon-Gog."[137] Thomas Kelly Cheyne expressed doubt as to whether the text originally read "Hamonah," suggesting that scribal error may have obscured a more original reading.[138]
Hapharaim
[edit]Hapharaim or Haphraim is a town listed as being part of the territory of the Tribe of Issachar in the Book of Joshua.[139][140]
Hareth
[edit]Hareth or Hereth is a forested area in Judah to which David and his family return after leaving refuge in Moab, at the direction of the prophet Gad.[141] It is thought to have been somewhere on the border of the Philistine plain, in the southern part of Judah.[142]
Hazar-addar
[edit]Hazar-addar is a name which appears only in Numbers 34:4, where it refers to a location on the southern edge of the territory belonging to the Tribe of Judah. According to Thomas Kelly Cheyne, the original text of Joshua 15:3 probably contained a reference to the place city.[143]
Hazar-enan
[edit]Hazar-enan (sometimes spelled Hazar Enan or Hazarenan) is mentioned in Ezekiel 47:17 as a location along the northeastern edge of the land of Canaan according to Ezekiel's "ideal" borders.[144] The Aramaic Targum Jonathan ben Uzziel on Numbers 34:9–10 renders its translation as ṭirath ʿenawatha ("walled suburb of the springs"). According to the Encyclopaedia Biblica, Ezekiel 47:16 probably originally contained the name "Hazar-enan" where it now contains "Hazar-hatticon".[144]
Hazar-gaddah
[edit]Hazar-gaddah is a location listed in Joshua 15:27 as one of the cities along the southern border of Judah with Edom.[145]
Hazar-shual
[edit]Hazar-shual was a city in the territory of the Tribe of Simeon, along its border with Judah.[146][147]
Hazar-susah
[edit]Hazar-susah, also called Hazar-susim, is among the cities listed in the Book of Joshua as being part of the inheritance of the Tribe of Simeon.[148] It is mentioned only in Joshua 19:5 and 1 Chronicles 4:13.[148]
Hazer-hatticon
[edit]Hazer-hatticon is a location that appears on the northern border of the land of Canaan according to Ezekiel's idealized conception its borders.[149][150] According to the Encyclopaedia Biblica, the name is likely a miswritten form of Hazar-enan.[150]
Hazor-hadattah
[edit]Hazor-hadattah, Aramaic for "New Hazor," was a place mentioned in Joshua 15:25, on the border between Judah and the Edom.[151]
Heleph
[edit]Heleph, as the Masoretic Text now stands, appears to be the name of a place located in the territory of the Tribe of Naphtali.[152] It appears only in Joshua 19:33.[152] According to Thomas Kelly Cheyne, the verse appears to have undergone copying errors, and the word "Heleph" was probably not an original part of the verse.[152]
Helkath
[edit]Helkath (Hebrew: חֶלְקַת) is a location on the boundary of the tribe of Asher.[153]
Helkath-hazzurim
[edit]Helkath-hazzurim, a term which appears in 2 Samuel 2:16, is the name of a site where the troops of David fought the troops of Ish-bosheth. The location is described as "Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon," although Stanley A. Cook suggested that the words "which is in Gibeon" were a later explanatory note added to the text, and that the story may originally have been set in another location.[154]
Hena
[edit]Hena is the name of a place or nation mentioned only in a single speech in the Hebrew Bible, by the Rabshakeh, an official of Sennacharib, who mentioned it in threatening the Judahites in the time of king Hezekiah. The Rabshakeh warned the Israelites that his employer, the Assyrian Empire, would defeat the kingdom of Judah, and that the Israelites should not trust their deity to save them. He supported his argument by pointing to other places conquered by the Assyrians, and pointed out that the gods of those locations had not managed to prevent conquest. "Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah?"[155] The locations of Hena and Ivvah are unknown to the present day.[156] Thomas Kelly Cheyne suggested that the name "Hena" has found its way into the verse "through a scribe's error."[157]
Hepher
[edit]Hepher is a place name found in the Hebrew Bible. In the conquest narratives of the Book of Joshua, there is a list of 31 kings defeated by the invading Israelites.[158] These kings are unnamed, but referred to simply in terms of what town they ruled, and a "king of Hepher" is listed among them in Joshua 12:17. Later, in the narratives about Solomon, Solomon divides his land into twelve districts, each ruled by a governor in charge of collecting tribute. The district assigned to the Ben-Hesed included "all the land of Hepher."[159] In addition to these explicit references to a place known as Hepher, there are veiled references to Hepher in etiological genealogical passages, in which historical regions and ethnic groupings are described as if descended from a family tree populated by individual forefathers.[160] In these narratives, a "person" named Hepher is described as being a descendant of Manasseh, indicating that Hepher was, at some point, ruled by people identified with the Tribe of Manasseh.[161][160] The people of Hepher are identified as "Hepherites" in Numbers 26:32.
The biblical mentions of Hepher are not enough to locate the town with any precision: it is not even certain whether Hepher is to be found in the Transjordan or in Cisjordan.[160]
Heshmon
[edit]Heshmon is the name of a town mentioned in Joshua 15:27, in a list of towns on the border between Judah and Edom. The name Heshmon may be the basis for the term Hasmonean (Hebrew hashmoni), as the Hasmoneans may have had their origin in Heshmon.[162]
Holon
[edit]Holon (Hilen, Hilez) is the name of two biblical towns.
- A city in the hill-country of Judah according to Joshua 15:21 and Joshua 21:15,[163] but its site is unknown.[164] It is also referred to as Hilen or Hilez in 1 Chronicles 6:58 (verse 43 in some Bibles).[165]
- A town in Moab, mentioned in Jeremiah 48:21 at the head of a list of towns to be "judged" by God for Moab's misdeeds.
Horem
[edit]Horem was one of the fortified cities of Naphtali according to Joshua 19:38.[166] The exact location is unknown.[167]
Hosah
[edit]
| |||||
| ḫꜣṯꜣjj[168][169] in hieroglyphs | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Era: New Kingdom (1550–1069 BC) | |||||
Hosah (Hebrew: חֹסָה), according to Joshua 19:29, was a city on the border between the Tribe of Asher and Tyre.[170] Where the Masoretic Text reads "Hosah," an important Greek Septuagint manuscript reads "Iaseif," leading to uncertainty about what the original reading was.[170] The location is unknown, but researchers are inclined towards Tell Rashidiyeh or Khirbet el-Hos,[171] today both in Lebanon, one S of Tyre,[172] the other South-East of it.[173]
Hukkok
[edit]Hukkok or Huquq was a town near Zebulun, on the border of Naphtali.[174] Many commentators have identified it with Yaquq.[175]
Humtah
[edit]Humtah was a city of Judah according to Joshua 15:54,[176] whose location has not been identified. Its name in Hebrew means 'snail'.
Hushah
[edit]Hushah was a place in the hill country of Judah founded by a son of Ezer (1 Chronicles 4:4). It is generally identified with Husan, south-west of Bethlehem.[177] One of David's Mighty Warriors is identified in the Bible as "Sibbecai the Hushathite."[178]
I
[edit]Idalah
[edit]Idalah is the name of a town in the territory of the Tribe of Zebulun according to Joshua 19:15, the only place in the Hebrew Bible where it is mentioned.[179]
Ijon
[edit]
| ||||
| ˁȝˁjnȝ[180][181] in hieroglyphs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Era: New Kingdom (1550–1069 BC) | ||||
Ijon (Hebrew: עיּוֹן; in LXX Ancient Greek: Άίν) is the name of a place mentioned three times in the Hebrew Bible. In 1 Kings 15:20 and the parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 16:4, along with Dan and Abel-beth-maacah (Kings account, Chronicles reads "Abel-maim"), it is conquered by Ben-Hadad I of Aram during the time of Baasha of Israel (c.900 to c.877 BCE). In 2 Kings 15:29, Ijon along with Abel-beth-maacah and several other places are taken captive by Tiglath-Pileser III (reigned 745-727 BCE) during the reign of Pekah. It was slightly north of the modern-day site of Metula.[182] Budge and Paton equate Ijon with the hieroglyphic place name 'Aiina.[181]
Ijon is commonly identified with Tel Dibbine, a tell near Marjayoun, Lebanon.[183]
Iphtah
[edit]Iphtah (the King James Version spells it Jiphtah) was, according to Joshua 15:43, a place in the Shephelah of the Tribe of Judah. The location is unknown today.[184]
Iphtah-el
[edit]Iphtah-el (the King James Version spells it Jiphtah-el) is the name of a place mentioned only in Joshua 19:14 and 19:27.[185] Joshua describes it as being along the northern border of the Tribe of Zebulun, in the area adjoining the territory of the Tribe of Asher. The biblical Iphtah-el is probably the place known today as Khirbet Japhet.[186]
Irpeel
[edit]Irpeel is the name of a town mentioned only in Joshua 18:27, in the territory of the Tribe of Benjamin.[187]
Ithlah
[edit]Ithlah (King James Version Jethlah) is a location which, according to Joshua 19:42, was part of the territory of the Tribe of Dan. The location has not been identified by modern scholarship.[188]
Ittah-kazin
[edit]See Eth-kazin.
J
[edit]Jabneel
[edit]Jabneel (once Jabneh) is the name given in the Hebrew Bible for two locations.
- The first is a Philistine city, considered by Joshua 15:11 to have belonged to the territory of the Tribe of Judah.[189][190] In 2 Chronicles 26:6, where the name is shortened to "Jabneh," it is recorded that Uzziah, as part of his attacks on Philistine cities, broke down its wall.[190]
- The second is assigned by Joshua 19:33 to the territory of the Tribe of Naphtali.
Jahaz
[edit]Jahaz (or Jahaza, Jahazah, Jahzah. Iahaz) was the site of the battle between King Sihon and the advancing Israelite people, according to Numbers 21:23[191] and later became a levitical city in the territory of Reuben, east of the River Jordan.[192]
Jahaz is mentioned in both the Hebrew Testament (Yahats, Isaiah 16:4, Jeremiah 48:34; Yahatsah or Yahtsah, Numbers 21:23, Deuteronomy 2:32, Joshua 13:18, Joshua 21:36) and the King James Version ("Jahazah": Judges 11:20, Jeremiah 48:21, 1 Chronicles 6:78 "Jahzah") and in the Mesha Stele.
André Lemaire places it somewhere along the northeast border of Moab.[193]
Janim
[edit]Janim or Janum is a location mentioned only in Joshua 15:53, which places it in the hill-country of Judah, somewhere near Beth-tappuah.[194]
Jearim
[edit]Mount Jearim is mentioned in Joshua 15:10, a verse which described the northern border of the Tribe of Judah.[195] According to the Encyclopaedia Biblica the term described in this case not a mountain in the modern sense of the word, but a ridge, and "Jearim" is probably an incorrect reading where "Jarib" or "Ephron" was originally intended.[195]
Jegar-sahadutha
[edit]See Galeed.
Jeruel
[edit]The "wilderness of Jeruel" is the place where, according to 2 Chronicles 20:16, Jahaziel told Jehoshaphat to expect an invading army of Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites.[196]
Jethlah
[edit]See Ithlah.
Jiphtah
[edit]See Iphtah.
Jiphtah-el
[edit]See Iphtah-el.
Jogbehah
[edit]Jogbehah is a city east of the Jordan River, mentioned in Numbers 32:35, as one of the locations in the Transjordan granted to the Tribe of Gad by Moses. It reappears in the story of Gideon.[197] It was probably an Ammonite fortress, now named Rugm al-Gubekha.[198]
Jokdeam
[edit]Jokdeam is the name of a location mentioned only once in the Bible, in Joshua 15:56.[199] The passage identifies it as being in the hill-country of Judah, but beyond that its location is unknown today.[200]
K
[edit]Kamon
[edit]See Camon
Kasiphia
[edit]See Casiphia
Kirjathjearim
[edit]See Kiriath-Jearim
Kithlish
[edit]Kithlish is a man's wall and town in the plain of Judah (Joshua 15:40). It has been identified with Jelameh.
L
[edit]Laharoi
[edit]See Beer-lahai-roi.
Lebaoth
[edit]See Beth Lebaoth.
Lecah
[edit]Lecah or Lekah is a place mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:21, which claims that Er, the son of Judah (son of Jacob) settled there.
Luhith
[edit]The "ascent of Luhith" is a location in Moab mentioned in Isaiah 15:5 and Jeremiah 48:5.
M
[edit]Mahaneh Dan
[edit]Mahaneh Dan or Mahaneh-dan is a location associated with the tribe of Dan. According to Judges 18:12, it was located to the west of Kirjath-jearim.[201][202] On the other hand, Judges 13:25 names it as the place where Samson lived and where "the spirit of the LORD began to stir in him", but gives it a different location, "between Zorah and Eshtaol".[203][202]
Makaz
[edit]Makaz is a location mentioned in 1 Kings 4:9, in a passage which describes king Solomon administering the kingdom of Israel by division into twelve districts. Makaz appears in a list of cities the rest of which belonged to the territory traditionally assigned to the Tribe of Dan,[204] so it appears likely that Makaz was originally intended as a reference to some location in Dan.[205]
Makkedah
[edit]
| ||||||||||
| m(j)ḳꜣtꜣ or mḳwtꜣ[206][207] in hieroglyphs | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Era: New Kingdom (1550–1069 BC) | ||||||||||
Makkedah (Hebrew: מַקֵּדָה; in LXX Ancient Greek: Μακηδά or Μακέδ as in 1 Maccabees; in Vulgate Latin: Mageth) was a city in the land of Canaan. Joshua 12:16 gives a list of thirty-one cities whose kings, according to the Book of Joshua, were defeated in the conquest of Canaan following the Exodus, and Makkedah is included.[208] Joshua 15:41 locates it in the part of the Shephelah assigned to the Tribe of Judah.[209] Joshua 10 relates a story of five "Amorite" kings hiding in the "cave of Makkedah" after a battle; afterward, they were removed from the cave and killed in a humiliating fashion. After this, Makkedah was captured.[210][211] Maspero, Müller and Budge identify Makouta mentioned in the Annals of Thutmose III at the Temple of Karnak with biblical Makkeda.[206][207] Historical geographers have struggled with its modern identification, with PEF surveyors Conder & Kitchener thinking the ancient site to be where was once built the Arab village of el-Mughar, north of Nahal Sorek.[212]
Manocho
[edit]Manocho appears in the Septuagint version of the Book of Joshua.[15][16]
Maon
[edit]This entry is about the location known as Maon or the "Wilderness of Maon". For the ethnic group known by that name, see List of minor biblical tribes § Maon.
Maon, according to Joshua 15:55, was a place in the highlands of the Tribe of Judah identified in modern times with Khirbet Maʿin (or in Hebrew, Horvat Maʿon).[213] According to 1 Samuel 23:24, the Wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon, was one of the places where David hid from King Saul.[214] Nabal, the rich but callous property owner who refused to support David's men in 1 Samuel 23:1–11 was from Maon. In the Septuagint version of 1 Samuel, David retreated to the Wilderness of Maon after the death of Samuel,[215] but in the Massoretic Text he went to the Wilderness of Paran.
Through the use of genealogy, Maon was personified as a descendant of Hebron.[216]
There was an Arab village and there is now an Israeli settlement at Ma'on in the Hebron Hills of the West Bank.
Maralah
[edit]Maralah is a place mentioned only in Joshua 19:11, where it describes a locality in the territory of the Tribe of Zebulun, along its southwestern border.[217]
Masrekah
[edit]Masrekah, according to Genesis 36:36 and 1 Chronicles 1:47, is where the Edomite king Samlah lived.
Meah
[edit]Meah is the name of a tower named in Nehemiah 3:1 and 12:39.
Mejarcon
[edit]Mejarcon (also spelled Mejarkon or Me-jarkon) was a location on the border of the tribe of Dan.[218]
Meonenim
[edit]Meonenim appears in Judges 9:37, in the Hebrew phrase elon meonenim which is variously translated as "plain of Meonenim," "Elon-meonenim," "oak of Meonenim," or "the Diviners' Oak."[219][220]
Mephaath
[edit]Mephaath was a levitical city of the Merarites lying in the district of the Mishor in the territory of the tribe of Reuben according to Joshua 21:37,[221] and was mentioned in condemnation by the prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 48:21.[222]
Michmethath
[edit]Michmethath (Michmethah, Mikmethath, Micmethath) is the name of a place mentioned in Joshua 16:6 and 17:7. 16:6 records that it is along the north end of the territory of the Tribe of Ephraim. 17:7 indicates that it was along the south end of the territory of the Tribe of Manasseh. From the biblical description it would appear to have been southeast of Shechem.[223] Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich places an As[h]er-Michmethah (Joshua 16:6) at modern Tayasir.[13]
Middin
[edit]The town of Middin is mentioned in passing in Joshua 15:61, in a list of six towns in the wilderness of the territory of the tribe of Judah.[224] Its exact location is unknown.[225]
Migron
[edit]There is a place called Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah mentioned in 1 Samuel 14:2, where King Saul was based,[226] different from the Migron mentioned in Isaiah 10:28, which is north of Michmash.[227][228]
Minni
[edit]Minni is mentioned in Jeremiah 51:27 as the name of a province in Armenia,[229] which was at this time under the Median kings. Armenia is regarded by some as Har-minni i.e., the mountainous country of Minni.[230]
Minnith
[edit]Minnith is mentioned in Judges 11:33 as marking the extent of Jephthah's victory over the Ammonites[231] and in Ezekiel 27:17 as a wheat-farming city.[232] Minnith, Missouri takes its name from the reference in Ezekiel.
Misrephoth-maim
[edit]Misrephoth-maim is the name of a place associated with Sidon where, according to the Book of Joshua, Joshua pursued the retreating Canaanites after a battle at Merom.[233][234] According to Joshua 13:6 it is found near the boundary between the northern territory of the Tribes of Israel and the Sidonians.[234]
Mount Jearim
[edit]See Jearim.
N
[edit]Neah
[edit]Neah is a location mentioned only in Joshua 19:13.[235][236] The Book of Joshua places it in the territory of the Tribe of Zebulun, near the valley of Iphtah-el.[237]
Neballat
[edit]Neballat is the name of a town listed among the towns where people of the Tribe of Benjamin lived according to Nehemiah 11:34.[238][239] Today it is known as Beit Nebala.[240]
Nibshan
[edit]Nibshan is the name of a town in the wilderness of Judah, mentioned only in Judges 15:62.
No
[edit]No or No-amon is the name of a city in Egypt mentioned in negative terms by the prophets Jeremiah (46:25), Ezekiel (30:14-16), and Nahum (3:8). It is most commonly identified in modern scholarship with Thebes, but in the Septuagint, Vulgate, and a variety of rabbinical commentators it is interpreted as Alexandria.[241][242]
P
[edit]Parbar
[edit]Parbar, according to the King James Version, is a place-name mentioned in 1 Chronicles 26:18, in a description of the divisions of gatekeepers for the Temple in Jerusalem. However, in more recent scholarship, the word parbar or parwar is generally taken not as a proper noun, but as a common noun, with various proposals as to its meaning. Canadian academic Donna Runnalls suggests that "it seems to refer to a structure which was located at the top of the road on the west side of the temple".[243] The New Revised Standard Version translates the word as " the colonnade on the west".[244]
Perez Uzzah
[edit]Perez Uzzah (Hebrew, "outburst against Uzzah")[245] is a place name which appears only in the biblical narrative about Uzzah, a man who was killed by God for touching the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6:8; 1 Chronicles 13:11). David named it in commemoration of Uzzah's death. The location has not been identified.[246]
Phagor
[edit]Phagor (Greek: Φαγὼρ) appears in the Septuagint version of the Book of Joshua,[247][16] in a grouping of 11 cities of Judah not listed in the Hebrew text. It is rendered as "Peor" in the Contemporary English Version (1995).[248]
Pul
[edit]Pul, a place name in Isaiah 66:19 in Hebrew, may refer to Put or Phut.[249]
R
[edit]Rabbith
[edit]Rabbith, according to Joshua 19:20, was a location within the territory of the Tribe of Issachar.[250]
Racal
[edit]Racal (or Rachal or Rakal), according to 1 Samuel 30:29, was one of the locations were David sent plunder after defeating a group of Amalekites. The site is unknown and mentioned nowhere else. It may have been a copyist's error for Carmel.[250]
Rakkath
[edit]
Rakkath (also Rakat or Rakkat) is mentioned in Joshua 19:35 as a fenced or fortified city in the territory of the Tribe of Naphtali[251] and is considered according to Jewish tradition to be the location where the city of Tiberias was built from around 20 CE.[252] It is identified by some with Tel Rakat (Khirbet el Kaneitriyeh on PEF Survey of Palestine map).
Rakkon
[edit]Rakkon, according to the Masoretic Text of Judges 19:46, is a place-name for a locality along the borders of the Tribe of Dan. A common opinion is that the place-name Rakkon (Hebrew hrqwn) originally through a mis-copying of part of the previous place-name Me Jarkon (Hebrew my hyrqwn), which is mentioned immediately preceding it.[253] If it is a genuine place-name, its location is uncertain, and it is unclear whether it refers to a town or a river.[253] The Septuagint omits it altogether.[254]
Ramath-Mizpeh
[edit]Ramath-Mizpeh, according to Joshua 13:26, was a location in the territory of the Tribe of Gad, a Transjordanian tribe. It is possibly the same as present-day Iraq al-Amir.[255]
Rammath-Lehi
[edit]'Rammath-Lehi, according to the Old Testament Book of Judges, was the name given to this place by Samson when he defeated a thousand Philistines.
Ramat-Negev
[edit]A place named Ramat-Negev (Hebrew rmt ngb) is assigned to the Tribe of Simeon by Joshua 19:8. It is likely the same as location as the Ramot-Negev (rmwt ngb) in 1 Samuel 30:27, where it is named as a location to which David sent plunder from his raid against the Amalekites.[250] Ramat or Ramot Negev is also mentioned in one of the Arad ostraca, a series of letters recovered from Tel Arad, ordering that soldiers be sent to Ramat-Negev as protection against Edomite invasion.[256]
It is possible that Ramot-Negev is the place now known as Hurvath Uza.[257] See also Baalath-Beer.
Rekem
[edit]This is about the city. For individuals of the same name, see List of minor biblical figures § Rekem.
Rekem is the name of a city or fortified town in the territory of the Tribe of Benjamin according to Joshua 18:27. The location is unknown.[258]
Rock of Escape
[edit]See Sela Hammahlekoth.
Rogelim
[edit]Rogelim is a place mentioned twice in 2 Samuel, both times in relation to Barzillai the Gileadite. It is identified as his city (17:27) and the place from which he came to meet King David after the revolt of Absalom (19:31). Its location was in Gilead but has not been precisely identified.[259] Strong's Concordance calls is "a (place of) fullers.[260]
Rumah
[edit]Rumah or Ruma is a place-name in the Hebrew Bible. It is mentioned in 2 Kings 23:26, which identifies king Jehoiakim's mother as "Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah." A widespread, but not unanimous, identification sees this as the modern site of Ruma (Tell Rumeh) in the Lower Galilee.[261][262]
Joshua 15:52 lists a "Rumah" or "Dumah" (depending on the manuscript followed) as a city in the hill-country of Judah.[263] This is often associated with the modern village of Dūme, although scholars have expressed some uncertainty about this location as well.[264][262]
S
[edit]Salim
[edit]A place-name Salim appears in John 3:23, in the phrase "Aenon of Salim." The location has not been identified, though several possibilities have been suggested.[265]
Sansannah
[edit]Sansannah appears in Joshua 15:31, in a list of towns in the Negev of Judah. Scholars equate it with the modern Kirbet esh-Shamsaniyat, although with some doubt.[266] In Joshua 19, a portion of the territory of Judah is assigned to the Tribe of Simeon, and in this list instead of Sansannah the text reads "Hazar Susah" (verse 5).[267]
Sebam
[edit]See Sibmah.
Secu
[edit]Secu (also Seku, Sechu) is a place-name found in 1 Samuel 19:22. Its site has not been identified, and it is mentioned nowhere else in the Bible.[268]
Sela Hammahlekoth
[edit]Sela Hammahlekoth (or Rock of Escape) is the name which according to 1 Samuel 23:28 was given to a location where David narrowly escaped being killed by Saul. The location has not been definitely identified, but the biblical story places it in the Wilderness of Maon.[269]
Seneh
[edit]Seneh is the name of one of two rocky cliffs (the other being Bozez) through which Jonathan had to pass during his attack against a Philistine garrison (1 Samuel 14:4).
Shaalbim
[edit]Shaalbim is the name of a location which appears twice (in the form "Shaalbim") in the Hebrew Bible, in Judges 3:5 and again in 1 Kings 4:9. The passage in Judges 1 discusses the situation after the death of Joshua, in which the Tribe of Dan had difficulty expelling the Amorites from the land allotted to them, and the Amorites forced the Danites to live in the hill-country, keeping the valley for themselves (Judges 1:1-34). "But the Amorites were resolved to dwell in Harheres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim; yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributary. And the border of the Amorites was from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela, and upward."[270]
1 Kings 4 records that Solomon divided his kingdom into districts under various governors, and chose a man named Ben Deker as governor "in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan".[271]
In Joshua 19:42, a Shaalabbin is listed as a location within the territory allotted to Dan, and it is thus likely to be the same as the location "Shaalbim" which Dan was unable to occupy.[188] This is generally considered to have been located on the site of modern Salbit.[188][272]
It may also be the same as the location referred to as "Shaalban" (2 Samuel 23:32; 1 Chronicles 11:33), and may have been the "Shaalim" of 1 Samuel 9:4.[272]
Shaalim
[edit]Saul and his assistant passed through the land of Shaalim looking for his father's lost donkeys, according to 1 Samuel 9:4,[273] probably in the highlands of Ephraim. Some manuscripts of the Septuagint locate the burial place of Abdon in Pirathon, in the hill country of Ephraim, in the land of Shaalim,[274] although other versions read "in the hill country of the Amalekites".[275]
Shamir
[edit]This is about the biblical locations, not the person mentioned in 1 Chronicles 24:24.
Shamir is the name of a biblical place which according to Joshua 15:48 was found in the hill-country of the Tribe of Judah.
According to Judges 10:1-2, the Israelite leader Tola lived, died, and was buried in a location called Shamir in the hill-country of the Tribe of Ephraim.
Shaveh Kiriathaim
[edit]According to Genesis 14:5, Chedorlaomer defeated the Emim at Shaveh Kiriathaim.
Shaveh, Valley of
[edit]A valley named Shaveh (king's valley) is the location where, according to Genesis 14:17, the king of Sodom went to meet Abram after the defeat of the forces of Chedorlaomer.
Sibmah
[edit]Sibmah (Hebrew, Sibmah) is a location which according to Numbers 32:37-38 and Joshua 13:19 was in the territory of the Tribe of Reuben.[276] In the King James Version it is sometimes spelled Shibmah. Isaiah 16:7-8 refers to it as a Moabite city, as does Jeremiah 48:31-32. In one case it is called Sebam[277] (Hebrew Sebam), spelled Shebam in the King James Version (Numbers 32:3). Its specific location is not known.[278]
Stone of Bohan, son of Reuben
[edit]The stone of Bohan, son of Reuben is mentioned in Joshua 15:6 as a point along the boundary of the land allocated to the tribe of Judah.[279] Bohan is not named as one of Reuben's sons where they are listed in Genesis 46:9.[280] Bohan is a name which appears twice in the Hebrew Bible.[281] In both cases it appears in the phrase "the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben," which refers to a place along the boundary between Judah and the Tribe of Benjamin.[282]
Suphah
[edit]Suphah is mentioned in Numbers 21:14,[283] quoting the lost Book of the Wars of the Lord, and is possibly the same as Suph.
T
[edit]Tappuah
[edit]Tappuah, Hebrew for 'apple', and compounds thereof, are toponyms from the Book of Joshua:
- Beth-Tappuah, city in the hill country of Judah (Joshua 15:53), commonly identified with Taffuh, a Palestinian town in the West Bank, 4 miles west of Hebron.
- Tappuah, city in the lowland of Judah (Joshua 12:17, 15:34)
- Tappuah, capital of a Canaanite king defeated by Joshua. It was allotted to the powerful tribe of Ephraim, who first needed to capture the city. It stood in the eastern parts of its realm and on the border with Manasseh, who received the lands around it (Joshua 16:8, 17:8). It is usually identified with Tell esh-Sheikh Abu Zarad, 8 miles (13 km) south of Shechem and in the vicinity of modern Yasuf (identified with the Yashub of LXX and possibly of the Samaria Ostraca).[284][285] Pottery found at Sheikh Abu Zarad was dated to the Late Bronze and Iron Ages.[285] Encyclopaedia Judaica sees En-tappuah from Joshua 17:7 (see below) as being an alternative name for the city.[285] A by now discarded identification with the site fortified by Bacchides was based on a misreading of Josephus (Ant., 13:15 / Whiston Book 13, Ch 1:3; 1 Maccabees 9:50): Bacchides fortified Theko (Tekoa), not Tepho (Tappuah).[285]
- En-tappuah ('Tappuah Spring'), in the eastern parts of Manasseh on the border with Ephraim (Joshua 17:7); identified with the 'Ayn al-Tuffūḥ spring near the village of Yasuf.[285] Considered to be an alternative name for the city of Tappuah in Efraim.[285]
- Tiphsah, city captured by King Mehahem (2 Kings 15:16). In the Greek version though, the city is named as Tappuah, which would then be the one in Ephraim (see above).[284]
Tatam
[edit]Tatam appears in the Septuagint version of Joshua 15:59-60.[16]
Theco
[edit]Theco appears in the Septuagint version of Joshua 15:59-60.[16]
Thether
[edit]Thether appears in the Septuagint version of Joshua 15:59-60.[16]
Thobes
[edit]Thobes appears in the Septuagint version of Joshua 15:59-60.[16]
U
[edit]Uzzen-sherah
[edit]Uzzen-sherah (or Uzzen-sheerah) is the name of a town mentioned only in 1 Chronicles 7:24.[286] It was named for its builder, Sherah, daughter of Ephraim. While it is believed to have been located close to Beth-horon, the exact location has not been identified.[287]
W
[edit]Well Lahairoi, the
[edit]See Beer-lahai-roi.
Z
[edit]Zaphon
[edit]Zaphon (Hebrew: Tsaphonah, rendered Sephenia in some manuscripts of the Septuagint)[288] is mentioned in Joshua 13:27 as a location within the territory of the tribe of Gad[289] and in Judges 12:1 as the location where the Ephraimites met with Jephthah and his army to complain that Jephthah had fought the Ammonites without calling on the Ephraimites for military assistance.[290] The Easy-to-Read Version calls it a "city".[291] Some translations (e.g. the King James Version) render Tsaphonah as "northwards".
Zelzah
[edit]A place at the border of Benjamin, where two men were to meet Saul as a sign of his kingship, in 1 Samuel 10:2.[292] This is the only mention of the place in the Bible, and its location is unidentified.[293]
Zereda
[edit]Zereda(h) is the birthplace of Jeroboam, the first king of the northern Kingdom of Israel and the son of Nebat of the Tribe of Ephraim.[294]
Ziz
[edit]The "ascent of Ziz" is the place where, according to 2 Chronicles 20:16, Jahaziel told Jehoshaphat to expect an invading army of Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites to ascend in front of the wilderness of Jeruel.[295]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ 2 Kings 5:12
- ^ Joshua 21:30; 1 Chronicles 6:74
- ^ Joshua 3:16
- ^ "Adam", in Cheyne & Black 1899
- ^ Joshua 15:22
- ^ a b "Adadah", in Cheyne & Black 1899
- ^ Joshua 15:36
- ^ "Adithaim", in Cheyne & Black 1899
- ^ Acts 27:27
- ^ W. J. Woodhouse, "Adria", in Cheyne & Black 1899
- ^ a b "Aesora", in Cheyne & Black 1899
- ^ a b c "Esora", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ a b Emmerich, Anne Catherine. Life of Christ. p. vol. 2, pp. 408–9. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ Bordeaux Pilgrim, 1887, p. 18, Appendix VI
- ^ a b c d e Joshua 15:59–60
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Anson Rainey (1982). "Wine from the royal vineyards". Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research. 245 (Winter). The American Schools of Oriental Research: 57–62, p. 59. doi:10.2307/1356528. JSTOR 1356528. S2CID 164003915.
- ^ Ezra 8:15,21,31
- ^ a b Derek Kidner (2 April 2016). Ezra and Nehemiah. InterVarsity Press. p. 74. ISBN 978-0-8308-9473-4.
- ^ Jerusalem Bible (1966), footnote c at Ezra 8:15, London: Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday and Co. Inc.
- ^ I Esdras 8:41, 61 in the Revised Standard Version
- ^ Barnes, A., Barnes' Notes on Ezra 8, accessed 6 April 2020
- ^ Joshua 21:18
- ^ Joshua 19:26
- ^ a b "Amad", in Cheyne & Black 1899
- ^ Joshua 15:26
- ^ "Amam", in Cheyne & Black 1899
- ^ Joshua 19:19
- ^ Douglas & Tenney 2011, pp. 64–65
- ^ See the NIV, Holman, NET, OJB, CSB, EXB, MEV, CEV, and the Message.
- ^ For example, the ESV, KJV, RV, ASV, JPS (1917), ESV, NASB, and NLT.
- ^ "Mearah", in Cheyne & Black 1902
- ^ Daniel I. Block (13 October 2009). Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel. Zondervan. p. 173. ISBN 978-0-310-25574-1.
- ^ "Ashnah", in Douglas & Tenney 2011, p. 130
- ^ Joshua 16:5
- ^ Douglas & Tenney 2011, p. 138
- ^ Richard D. Nelson (1 August 1997). Joshua (1997): A Commentary. Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. p. 285. ISBN 978-1-61164-509-5.
- ^ Numbers 21:16–18
- ^ Douai-Rheims Bible
- ^ Judges 9:21
- ^ Matthew Poole's Commentary on Judges 9, accessed 30 October 2016
- ^ Pulpit Commentary on Judges 9, accessed 30 October 2016
- ^ a b "Beer-lahai-roi", in Cheyne & Black 1899
- ^ Genesis 16:4
- ^ Genesis 24:62, 25:11
- ^ Genesis 21:14
- ^ Genesis 16:7, 14
- ^ Nadav Naʼaman (2005). Ancient Israel and Its Neighbors: Interaction and Counteraction. Eisenbrauns. p. 273. ISBN 978-1-57506-108-5.
- ^ a b Gauthier, Henri (1925). Dictionnaire des Noms Géographiques Contenus dans les Textes Hiéroglyphiques Vol. 2. p. 2.
- ^ Budge 1920, p. 977
- ^ Holman Bible Dictionary (1991), Beon
- ^ Judges 9:21
- ^ Judges 1:33
- ^ a b c Lemche, Niels Peter (2004). Historical dictionary of ancient Israel. Historical dictionaries of ancient civilizations and historical eras. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. p. 81. ISBN 978-0-8108-4848-1.
- ^ "The term "Aven"". Archived from the original on August 23, 2008.
- ^ "The term "Beth-aven" in the Old Testament". Archived from the original on February 18, 2014.
- ^ Judges 7:24
- ^ 1 Samuel 7:5–12
- ^ Josephus, De Bello Judaico (Wars of the Jews) 4.7.6 (4.437)
- ^ Frumkin, Amos; Elitzur, Yoel (2002). "Historic Dead Sea Level Fluctuations Calibrated with Geological and Archaeological Evidence". Quaternary Research. 57 (3): 341. Bibcode:2002QuRes..57..334F. doi:10.1006/qres.2002.2330. ISSN 0033-5894. S2CID 129375298.
- ^ See Joshua 15:32, 19:6
- ^ "Beth-lebaoth", in Cheyne & Black 1899
- ^ Freedman 2000, p. 173
- ^ Deuteronomy 3:29; Deuteronomy 4:46
- ^ Deuteronomy 5:1–21
- ^ Conder, C. R.; Kitchener, H. H. (1883). The Survey of Western Palestine. Vol. 3. The Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund. pp. 35, 112.
- ^ 1 Chronicles 2:24
- ^ "Les Juges - Chapitre 10 - שופטים". mechon-mamre.org. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- ^ "La Septante, Juges, chapitre 10". theotex.org. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- ^ a b Gesenius, Wilhelm; Tregelles, Samuel Prideaux (1857). Hebrew and Chaldee lexicon to the Old Testament Scriptures; translated, with additions, and corrections from the author's Thesaurus and other works. Gerstein - University of Toronto. London, Bagster.
- ^ "Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)/Camon - Wikisource, the free online library". en.wikisource.org. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- ^ "Polybius • Histories — Book 5". penelope.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- ^ Niehoff, Maren R. (2024). Weyel, Birgit (ed.). Judentum und Hellenismus. Lucas-Preis. Translated by Schumann, Daniel; Chaldekas, Matthew. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck. p. 12. ISBN 978-3-16-163536-6.
- ^ a b Vette, Nathanael (2020-12-28). "The Many Fiery Furnaces of Daniel 3: The Evolution of a Literary Model". Biblical Interpretation. 30 (3): 312–328. doi:10.1163/15685152-2020002. hdl:20.500.11820/e6feee30-9929-4b0a-8733-bc9755dfd675. ISSN 1568-5152.
- ^ Bailly, Anatole; Egger, E.; Séchan, Louis; Chantraine, Pierre (1984). Dictionnaire grec-français: Réd. avec le concours de E. Egger. Éd. rev. par L[ouis] Séchan et P. Chantraine. Avec, en app., de nouvelles notices de mythologie et religion par L. Séchan. Paris: Hachette. ISBN 978-2-01-001306-5.
- ^ James, M. R. (1915). "Notes on Apocrypha". The Journal of Theological Studies. 16 (63): 403–413. doi:10.1093/jts/os-XVI.4.403. ISSN 0022-5185. JSTOR 23947991.
- ^ Holman Bible Dictionary (1991), "Casiphia."
- ^ Ezekiel 6:14
- ^ Keith W. Carley (14 November 1974). The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel. CUP Archive. p. 48. GGKEY:LGKJ9RGUSCS.
- ^ The King James Version calls it "Diblath," while New International Version, New American Standard Bible, Holman Christian Standard Bible read "Diblah." It is emended to "Riblah" in the New Living Translation, and New English Translation.
- ^ "Dilean", in Cheyne & Black 1899
- ^ Douglas & Tenney 2011, p. 358
- ^ "Dimonah", in Cheyne & Black 1899
- ^ Douglas & Tenney 2011, p. 378
- ^ a b "Elealeh", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Numbers 32:3, 37
- ^ Douglas & Tenney 2011, p. 399
- ^ "Eleph", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Pitkänen 2010, p. 316
- ^ Conder and Kitchener, 1881, SWP III, p. 18, 47
- ^ a b "Elon-beth-hanan", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ "Eltolad", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Richard R. Losch (May 2013). All the Places in the Bible. Xlibris Corporation. p. 597. ISBN 978-1-4836-2826-4.
- ^ "Enaim", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ a b "En-eglaim", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Monica L. W. Brady, in Freedman 2000, p. 406
- ^ "En-gannim", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ S. A. Cook, "En-haddah", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ "En-hakkore", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Genesis 26:20
- ^ On the location, see Joshua 15:7 and 18:17
- ^ On the etymology and proposed locations, see "En-shemesh", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Joshua 15:52
- ^ Tremper III Longman (1 August 2013). The Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Baker Books. p. 888. ISBN 978-1-4412-3886-3.
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Ezel", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ 1 Samuel 20:19
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Galeed", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ a b T. K. Cheyne, "Gallim", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ 1 Samuel 25:44
- ^ Most existing translations of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament into English are based primarily on the Masoretic Text. For a scholarly translation of the Septuagint into English, see the New English Translation of the Septuagint. For the Septuagint reading of Joshua 15:59a, see this PDF, on page 187: [1]. The name Iesous found in the PDF is the Greek equivalent of Joshua.
- ^ Joshua 19:45; Joshua 21:25; 1 Chronicles 6:69
- ^ Negev, Avraham/Gibson, Shimon, Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land, New York/London 2001, p.195, ISBN 0-8264-1316-1 (English)
- ^ a b Rainey, Anson (1998). "Review by: Anson F. Rainey". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 118 (1): 73. JSTOR 606301.
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Gebim", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Nadav Naʼaman (2005). Ancient Israel and Its Neighbors: Interaction and Counteraction. Eisenbrauns. p. 353. ISBN 978-1-57506-108-5.
- ^ a b "Gederothaim", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ "Geliloth", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Ezra 2:20
- ^ "Gibbar", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ a b c T. K. Cheyne, "Gittaim", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Nehemiah 11:33
- ^ 2 Samuel 4:3
- ^ 1 Samuel 14:33
- ^ 2 Kings 17:6, 18:11
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Hachilah, Hill of", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ 1 Samuel 23:19, 26:1
- ^ a b Budge 1920, p. 1021
- ^ a b Gauthier, Henri (1927). Dictionnaire des Noms Géographiques Contenus dans les Textes Hiéroglyphiques Vol. 4. p. 23.
- ^ a b Gaston Maspero. Daressy, Georges (ed.). Recueil de travaux relatifs à la philologie et à l'archéologie égyptiennes et assyriennes: pour servir de bulletin à la Mission Française du Caire Vol. XX (in French). p. 118. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ Joshua 15:37
- ^ a b T. K. Cheyne, "Hadashah", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Joshua 19:25
- ^ a b S. A. Cook, "Hali", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Joshua 19:35
- ^ a b c T. K. Cheyne, "Hammon", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Joshua 19:28
- ^ Joshua 21:32
- ^ Ezekiel 39:16
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Hamonah", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Joshua 19:19
- ^ "Hapharaim", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ 1 Samuel 22:5
- ^ McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia: Forest
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Hazar-addar", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ a b W. R. Smith and T. K. Cheyne, "Hazar-enan", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Hazar-gaddah", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Joshua 15:28, Joshua 19:3, 1 Chronicles 4:28, Nehemiah 11:27.
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Hazar-shual", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ a b T. K. Cheyne, "Hazar-susah", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Ezekiel 47:16
- ^ a b "Hazar-hatticon", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Hazor-hadattah", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ a b c T. K. Cheyne, "Heleph", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Joshua 19:25
- ^ S. A. Cook, "Helkath-hazzurim", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ 2 Kings 19:13, Revised Version. The Rabshakeh's remarks are repeated in Isaiah 37:13.
- ^ E. Ray Clendenen; Jeremy Royal Howard (1 August 2015). The Holman Illustrated Bible Commentary. B&H Publishing Group. p. 403. ISBN 978-0-8054-9930-8.
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Hena", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Joshua 12
- ^ 1 Kings 4:10
- ^ a b c Yohanan Aharoni (1 January 1979). The Land of the Bible: A Historical Geography. Westminster John Knox Press. p. 310. ISBN 978-0-664-24266-4.
- ^ See Numbers 26:32-33; 27:1; Joshua 17:2-3
- ^ "Heshmon", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Joshua 15:21; Joshua 21:15
- ^ Holman Bible Dictionary (1991), "Holon."
- ^ "Holon", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Joshua 19:38
- ^ Douglas & Tenney 2011, p. 621
- ^ Budge 1920, p. 1025
- ^ Gauthier 1927, p. 164
- ^ a b T. K. Cheyne, "Hosah", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Pitkänen 2010, p. 327.
- ^ "Tell Rachidiyeh: modern identifications of places in the Bible". www.openbible.info. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
- ^ "Khirbet el Hos: modern identifications of places in the Bible". www.openbible.info.
- ^ Joshua 19.34
- ^ Woudstra, Martin H. (1981). The Book of Joshua. Wm. B. Eerdmans. p. 291. ISBN 978-0-8028-2525-4.
- ^ Joshua 15:54
- ^ Freedman 2000, p. 620
- ^ 1 Chronicles 11:29, 1 Chronicles 27:11
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Idalah", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Budge 1920, p. 967
- ^ a b Gauthier, Henri (1925). Dictionnaire des Noms Géographiques Contenus dans les Textes Hiéroglyphiques Vol. 1. p. 131.
- ^ Freedman 2000, p. 628
- ^ Marom, Nimrod; Bechar, Shlomit; Panitz-Cohen, Nava; Mullins, Robert A.; Yahalom-Mack, Naama (August 2020). "Faunal remains from Tel Abel Beth Maacah: Social change in the late second millennium BCE Hula Valley". Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. 32 102394. Bibcode:2020JArSR..32j2394M. doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102394. ISSN 2352-409X. S2CID 219480588.
- ^ Woudstra 1981, p. 249
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Jiphtah-el", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Cooke, G. A. (1990) [1918]. The Book of Joshua. Cambridge University Press Archive. p. 176. GGKEY:LGLXENDA9WK.
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Irpeel", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ a b c Pitkänen 2010, p. 330
- ^ Joshua 15:11
- ^ a b T. K. Cheyne, "Jabneel", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Numbers 21:23
- ^ Joshua 13:18
- ^ Lemaire, André (2007). "The Mesha Stele and the Omri Dynasty". In Lester L. Grabbe (ed.). Ahab Agonistes: The Rise and Fall of the Omri Dynasty. p. 141.
- ^ "Janum", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ a b "Jearim, Mount", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ 2 Chronicles 20:16
- ^ Judges 8:11
- ^ Joseph Coleson; Lawson G. Stone; Jason Driesbach (2012). Joshua, Judges, Ruth. Tyndale House Publishers. p. 293. ISBN 978-0-8423-3429-7.
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Jokdeam", in Cheyne & Black 1901
- ^ Pitkänen 2010, p. 295
- ^ Judges 18:12
- ^ a b S. A. Cook, "Mahaneh-dan", in Cheyne & Black 1902
- ^ Judges 13:25
- ^ 1 Kings 4:9
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Makaz", in Cheyne & Black 1902
- ^ a b Gauthier, Henri (1926). Dictionnaire des Noms Géographiques Contenus dans les Textes Hiéroglyphiques Vol. 3. p. 19.
- ^ a b Budge 1920, p. 998
- ^ Joshua 12:16
- ^ Joshua 15:41
- ^ 10:21
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Makkedah", in Cheyne & Black 1902
- ^ Conder, C.R.; Kitchener, H. H. (1882). The Survey of Western Palestine: Memoirs of the Topography, Orography, Hydrography, and Archaeology. Vol. 2. London: Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund., pp. 411–412
- ^ Jodi Magness, The Archaeology of the Early Islamic Settlement in Palestine, Eisenbrauns, 2003 Vol.1 pp.96–97
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Maon", in Cheyne & Black 1902
- ^ 1 Samuel 25:1 in Brenton's Septuagint Translation
- ^ 1 Chronicles 2:4/
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Maralah", in Cheyne & Black 1902
- ^ Joshua 19:46
- ^ T. K. Cheyne, "Meonenim", in Cheyne & Black 1902
- ^ For "plain of Meonenim," see KJV. For Elon-meonenim, see the Jewish Publication Society translation of 1917. For "oak of Meonenim" see the Revised Version. For "Diviners' Oak," see English Standard Version.
- ^ Joshua 21:37
- ^ Jeremiah 48:21
- ^ Liverani, Mario. "Amarna Mikmate — Biblical Michmethath." Zeitschrift Des Deutschen Palästina-Vereins, vol. 114, no. 2, 1998, pp. 137–138., www.jstor.org/stable/27931587.
- ^ Joshua 15:61
- ^ Yohanan Aharoni (1 January 1979). The Land of the Bible: A Historical Geography. Westminster John Knox Press. p. 356. ISBN 978-0-664-24266-4.
- ^ 1 Samuel 14:2
- ^ Isaiah 10:28
- ^ Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on 1 Samuel 14, accessed 6 May 2017
- ^ Jeremiah 51:27
- ^ Easton's Bible Dictionary: Minni, accessed 7 November 2016
- ^ Judges 11:33
- ^ Ezekiel 27:17
- ^ Joshua 11:8
- ^ a b T. K. Cheyne, "Misrephoth-maim", in Cheyne & Black 1902
- ^ Joshua 19:13
- ^ "Neah", in Cheyne & Black 1902
- ^ Joshua 19:10-16
- ^ Nehemiah 11:34
- ^ "Neballat", in Cheyne & Black 1902
- ^ Chad Brand; Archie England; Charles W. Draper (1 October 2003). Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. B&H Publishing Group. p. 1618. ISBN 978-1-4336-6978-1.
- ^ Laurel Lanner (24 May 2006). Who Will Lament Her?: The Feminine and the Fantastic in the Book of Nahum. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 154. ISBN 978-0-567-54397-4.
- ^ Huddlestun, John R. (2003). "Nahum, Nineveh, and the Nile: The Description of Thebes in Nahum 3:8–9". Journal of Near Eastern Studies. 62 (2): 97–110. doi:10.1086/376364. JSTOR 10.1086/376364. S2CID 14130054.
- ^ Runnalls, Donna (1991). "The Parwār: A Place of Ritual Separation?". Vetus Testamentum. 41 (3): 324–331. doi:10.2307/1519072. JSTOR 1519072.
- ^ 1 Chronicles 26:18
- ^ Joze Krasovec (8 March 2010). The Transformation of Biblical Proper Names. A&C Black. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-567-45224-5.
- ^ Peter R. Ackroyd (8 December 1977). The Second Book of Samuel. Cambridge University Press. p. 245. ISBN 978-0-521-09754-3.
- ^ Joshua 15:59
- ^ Joshua 15:59: CEV
- ^ Skinner, J. (1898), Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Isaiah 66, accessed 22 August 2022
- ^ a b c Ronald F. Youngblood (7 March 2017). 1 and 2 Samuel. Zondervan. p. 469. ISBN 978-0-310-53179-1.
- ^ Joshua 19:35
- ^ Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Joshua 19, accessed 27 March 2016
- ^ a b Pitkänen 2010, p. 331
- ^ Cooke 1990, p. 186
- ^ T. Desmond Alexander; David W. Baker (13 January 2003). Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch: A Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship. InterVarsity Press. p. 345. ISBN 978-0-8308-1781-8.
- ^ Baruch Halpern; André Lemaire (7 July 2010). The Books of Kings: Sources, Composition, Historiography and Reception. BRILL. p. 238. ISBN 978-90-474-3073-5.
- ^ Samuel Rocca (20 October 2012). The Fortifications of Ancient Israel and Judah 1200–586 BC. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 45. ISBN 978-1-84908-256-3.
- ^ Woudstra 1981, p. 225
- ^ Douglas & Tenney 2011, p. 1245
- ^ Strong's Concordance: Rogelim
- ^ Elitzur, Yoel (1994). "Rumah in Judah". Israel Exploration Journal. 44 (1/2): 127. JSTOR 27926337.
- ^ a b Zvi Gal (1992). Lower Galilee During the Iron Age. Eisenbrauns. p. 109. ISBN 978-0-931464-69-0.
- ^ Elitzur 1994, pp. 125–6
- ^ Elitzur 1994, p. 123
- ^ James H. Charlesworth (28 July 2006). Jesus and Archaeology. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 555. ISBN 978-0-8028-4880-2.
- ^ Pekka Pitkänen calls the identification "probably . . . fairly uncertain." Pitkänen 2010, p. 291
- ^ Richard D. Nelson (1 August 1997). Joshua (1997): A Commentary. Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. p. 220. ISBN 978-1-61164-509-5.
- ^ David Toshio Tsumura (15 March 2007). The First Book of Samuel. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 498. ISBN 978-0-8028-2359-5.
- ^ Douglas & Tenney 2011, p. 1307
- ^ Judges 1:35-36, Jewish Publication Society translation of 1917.
- ^ 1 Kings 4:9, Jewish Publication Society translation of 1917
- ^ a b Eric. F. Mason, "Shaalbim", in Freedman 2000, p. 1193
- ^ 1 Samuel 9:4
- ^ Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Judges 12, accessed 11 April 2018
- ^ Judges 12:15
- ^ Numbers 32:37–38; Joshua 13:19NKJV
- ^ M. Jack Suggs; Katharine Doob Sakenfeld; James R. Mueller (12 March 1992). The Oxford Study Bible: Revised English Bible with Apocrypha. OUP USA. p. 176. ISBN 978-0-19-529000-4.
- ^ Ernest W. Nicholson (8 May 1975). The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah, Chapters 26-52. Cambridge University Press. p. 246. ISBN 978-0-521-09867-0.
- ^ Joshua 15:6
- ^ Genesis 46:9
- ^ Joshua 15:6; 18:17.
- ^ "Bohan", in Cheyne & Black 1899
- ^ Numbers 21:14
- ^ a b Wigoder, Geoffrey, ed. (2005). "Tappuah (3)". The Illustrated Dictionary and Concordance of the Bible (revised ed.). New York: Sterling Publishing. pp. 930–931. ISBN 1-4027-2820-4.
A Canaanite kingdom centered around the city of the same name that was conquered by Joshua. The city itself was assigned to the tribe of Ephraim, while its lands were allotted to Manasseh. The location is probably modern Sheikh-Abu-Zarad, 8 miles (13 km) south of Shechem. Josh 12:17, 16:8, 17:8
- ^ a b c d e f "Tappuah", in Encyclopaedia Judaica, The Gale Group, 2007 edition. Referencing F.M. Abel (1936), RB 45, pp. 103ff. Via Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed 21 Feb 2024.
- ^ 1 Chronicles 7:24
- ^ Eunice Riedel (1981). The book of the Bible. Bantam Books. p. 505. ISBN 978-0-553-14649-3.
- ^ Ellicott's Commentary for Modern Readers on Judges 12, accessed 9 November 2016
- ^ Joshua 13:27
- ^ Judges 12:1
- ^ Judges 21:1: Easy-to-Read Version
- ^ 1 Samuel 10:2
- ^ Cohen A. Ed. Samuel: Soncino Books of the Bible. p. 52.
- ^ 1Kings 11:26
- ^ 2 Chronicles 20:16
General references
[edit]- Budge, E. A. Wallis (1920). An Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary. Vol. II. London: John Murray.
- Cheyne, T. K.; Black, J. S., eds. (1899). Encyclopaedia Biblica. Vol. 1, A–D. Toronto: George N. Morang and Company.
- Cheyne, T. K.; Black, J. S., eds. (1901). Encyclopaedia Biblica. Vol. 2, E–K. New York: The Macmillan Company.
- Cheyne, T. K.; Black, J. S., eds. (1902). Encyclopaedia Biblica. Vol. 3, L–P. Toronto: George N. Morang and Company.
- Cheyne, T. K.; Black, J. S., eds. (1903). Encyclopaedia Biblica. Vol. 4, Q–Z. Toronto: George N. Morang and Company.
- Douglas, J. D.; Tenney, Merrill C. (2011). Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0-310-49235-1.
- Freedman, David Noel, ed. (2000). Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. Amsterdam University Press. p. 173. ISBN 978-90-5356-503-2.
- Pitkänen, Pekka (2010). Joshua. InterVarsity Press. ISBN 978-0-8308-2506-6.
List of minor biblical places
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Definition of minor biblical places
Minor biblical places refer to geographical locations mentioned in the biblical texts that receive limited narrative attention, typically appearing in only one or a few passages without functioning as primary settings for significant events or stories. These contrast with major sites, such as Jerusalem or Bethlehem, which feature prominently across multiple accounts and hold central roles in theological or historical developments. This distinction arises from the varying degrees of textual emphasis in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, where minor places often serve incidental roles in descriptions of journeys, boundaries, or conflicts.[2] Criteria for classifying a location as minor generally include its obscurity in both biblical and extrabiblical records, encompassing small towns, rivers, hills, wadis, or temporary encampments rather than expansive regions or fortified cities. Well-known areas like Egypt, Assyria, or Canaan are excluded due to their extensive documentation and broader cultural significance. Such places are identified primarily through brief scriptural references, without substantial archaeological corroboration or repeated mentions that would elevate their status. These minor locations provide valuable insight into the geographical scope of biblical narratives, highlighting the diverse topography of the ancient Near East, including tribal land allotments in the Promised Land and routes of migration or conquest. They reflect the interconnectedness of the biblical world with surrounding environments, such as desert fringes and coastal plains, underscoring how everyday settings contributed to the cultural and spiritual landscape described in the texts. For instance, Yohanan Aharoni's analysis of biblical topography emphasizes how these sites illustrate settlement patterns and territorial divisions in Iron Age Israel.[3] The distinction between minor and major places is evident in scriptural usage, such as fleeting references in boundary delineations (e.g., Joshua 15) or wilderness itineraries (e.g., Numbers 33), compared to cities with elaborated histories like Hebron or Jericho. Compilations of such sites often prioritize English-based transliterations from the Masoretic Text but may underrepresent variants from the Septuagint or Targums; scholarly efforts, including cross-references in resources like the Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, aim to incorporate these for a more comprehensive view, alongside proposed modern identifications based on toponymy and surveys.Biblical sources and references
The identification and description of minor biblical places rely primarily on textual references within the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and, to a lesser extent, the New Testament. Key Old Testament books include Joshua, which outlines tribal land allotments and borders of conquest (e.g., Josh 15–19), Numbers, detailing the Israelites' wilderness journeys and encampments (e.g., Num 33), 1–2 Samuel, providing historical narratives with incidental geographical mentions (e.g., 1 Sam 23:14), and prophetic texts such as Isaiah and Ezekiel, which contain allusions to obscure locations in oracles and visions (e.g., Isa 15:1–9; Ezek 47:15–20). These sources emphasize places with low frequency of mention—typically one to three occurrences—and limited narrative role, distinguishing them from major sites like Jerusalem or Bethel. New Testament references to minor places are sparse, often tied to travel or symbolic contexts, such as the sea of Adria in Acts 27:27 during Paul's voyage and Salim near Aenon in John 3:23 as a baptism site. Biblical citations follow standardized formats, such as book, chapter, and verse (e.g., 2 Kings 5:12 for the river Abana), with variants noted from ancient translations like the Septuagint, which sometimes renders Hebrew names differently—for instance, Esora as a form of Aesora in apocryphal texts. Apocryphal books, considered deuterocanonical by some traditions, supplement canonical references where relevant; for example, Judith 4:4 lists Aesora among fortified Samaritan border towns, providing context for obscure sites without contradicting core biblical geography.[4] Scholarly resources underpin the compilation of these places, drawing from historical-critical analyses. T. K. Cheyne and J. S. Black's Encyclopaedia Biblica (1899–1903) offers detailed entries on biblical geography, identifying minor sites through philological and topographical examination. The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992), edited by David Noel Freedman, expands on this with comprehensive articles on lesser-known locations, emphasizing textual and contextual evidence. Modern digital biblical atlases, such as those using geocoding for approximate GPS correlations (e.g., OpenBible.info's Bible Geocoding project), update these identifications with satellite imagery and verse-linked coordinates. Recent excavations, such as the 2024 uncovering of a royal administrative center from King Hezekiah's era south of Jerusalem, continue to provide new insights into minor Judean sites.[5][6][7] Methodologically, selections prioritize obscurity and infrequency, cross-referencing minor places to major biblical itineraries like the Exodus route in Exodus–Numbers or conquest borders in Joshua to establish relational context without exhaustive enumeration. This approach ensures fidelity to the texts' geographical framework, acknowledging incompleteness due to ancient naming variations and transmission differences.Places from A to M
Minor Biblical Places Beginning with A
Minor biblical places starting with the letter "A" encompass a range of geographical features, settlements, and regions mentioned primarily in the Old Testament tribal allotments, prophetic oracles, and historical narratives, with a few in the New Testament and Apocrypha. These sites often served as boundary markers, encampments, or incidental locations in broader stories of conquest, exile, and travel, without featuring prominently as major centers of events or worship. Their identifications rely on biblical coordinates and occasional archaeological correlations, though many remain uncertain due to limited extra-biblical evidence.[8] The following enumerates key examples, drawing from canonical and Septuagint texts:| Place | Biblical Reference | Description and Location |
|---|---|---|
| Abana | 2 Kings 5:12 | A river flowing through Damascus, mentioned by Naaman as superior to the Jordan for ritual cleansing; traditionally identified with the modern Nahr Barada, which originates in the Anti-Lebanon mountains and supplies water to the city. |
| Abdon | Joshua 21:30; 1 Chronicles 6:74; Judges 12:10 | A Levitical city assigned to the Gershonites in the territory of Asher; also the burial place of the judge Abdon, son of Hillel; likely located near modern Kabul in northern Israel, in the hilly region west of the Sea of Galilee. |
| Abel-Shittim | Numbers 33:49; Joshua 3:1 | The final encampment of the Israelites in the plains of Moab before crossing the Jordan River, also known simply as Shittim; situated east of Jericho in the Jordan Valley, associated with acacia groves and events like the Baal-peor incident.[9] |
| Adam | Joshua 3:16 | A city near Zarethan where the waters of the Jordan miraculously piled up during the Israelites' crossing; positioned in the Jordan Valley, possibly at modern Tell ed-Damiyeh, about 20 miles north of Jericho. |
| Adadah | Joshua 15:22 | A town in the Negeb region allotted to the tribe of Judah; exact location unknown, but placed in the southern desert fringes near the border with Edom. |
| Addan | Ezra 2:59; Nehemiah 7:61 | A settlement in Babylonia from which Jewish exiles returned to Jerusalem after the Persian conquest; possibly a variant of Addon, located in Mesopotamia, though precise site unidentified. |
| Adithaim | Joshua 15:36 | A village in the Shephelah (lowland) of Judah; listed among towns near Socoh and Azekah, likely in the Judean foothills, with no confirmed modern equivalent. |
| Adria | Acts 27:27 | The Adriatic Sea region in the Mediterranean, referenced during Paul's voyage to Rome when the ship was driven off course; encompasses the waters between Italy, the Balkans, and Sicily, site of the eventual shipwreck near Malta. |
| Aesora | Judith 4:4 (Apocrypha) | A town in Galilee fortified against the Assyrian advance; possibly near Sepphoris (modern Zippori) in lower Galilee, based on Septuagint variants of Esora. |
| Aetan | Joshua 15: Septuagint variant | A site in the Greek translation of Joshua's conquest lists for Judah; appears as an alternate form in boundary descriptions, potentially a scribal variant of another Judean town, with uncertain location. |
| Ahava | Ezra 8:15–31 | A canal or river near Babylon where Ezra assembled returning exiles for fasting and preparation; identified possibly with the modern Gaw-i-Ab in Iran or a tributary of the Euphrates, serving as a gathering point during the post-exilic return. |
| Almon | Joshua 21:18; 1 Chronicles 6:60 | A Levitical city for the Kohathites in the territory of Benjamin; located near Anathoth in the Judean hills, approximately 3 miles northeast of Jerusalem. |
| Amad | Joshua 19:26 | A border town in the territory of Asher; situated near Carmel and Shihor-libnath, possibly at modern el-Basa south of Haifa in northern Israel. |
| Amam | Joshua 15:26 | A town in the Negeb of Judah; placed near the southern border, potentially identifiable with Khirbet el-Maqran in the arid region southeast of Beersheba. |
| Anaharath | Joshua 19:19 | A city in the territory of Issachar; located in the Jezreel Valley, possibly at modern Tell el-Mukharkhash near Afula. |
| Arah of the Sidonians | Joshua 13:4 | A region or town near Sidon in Phoenicia, noted as unconquered territory assigned to Israel; part of the coastal area north of Israel, with boundaries extending to Aphek. |
| Arumah | Judges 9:41 | A town in Ephraim where Abimelech, son of Gideon, resided after conflict; likely near Shechem in the central hill country, though exact site unknown. |
| Ascent of Luhith | Isaiah 15:5; Jeremiah 48:5 | A steep pass in Moab used in prophetic laments over the nation's fall; associated with Horonaim, possibly modern Wadi en-Numeira south of the Dead Sea, symbolizing routes of flight and mourning. |
| Ashnah | Joshua 15:33; Joshua 15:43 | Two towns in Judah: one in the Shephelah near Eshtaol, the other in the Negeb; the lowland Ashnah may be at modern Khirbet es-Sana, while the southern remains unidentified. |
| Ataroth-addar | Joshua 16:5; Joshua 18:13 | A border point between Ephraim and Benjamin, near Beth-horon; located west of Michmethath, possibly at modern Atara near Ramallah in the central highlands.[10] |
| Aznoth-tabor | Joshua 19:34 | A town on the border of Naphtali near Mount Tabor; situated in lower Galilee, potentially at Khirbet Jazzin about 3 miles north of the mountain. |
| Ænon | John 3:23 | A site near Salim where John the Baptist performed baptisms due to abundant water; scholarly consensus places it east of the Jordan near modern Umm el-'Amdan or in the Wadi el-Yabis valley south of Beth Shean, though debated with alternatives near Nablus.[11][12] |
B
Minor biblical places beginning with the letter "B" appear predominantly in the Hebrew Bible's accounts of Israel's wilderness travels, tribal land divisions, and border delineations, often denoting wells, small settlements, or landmarks in regions like the Negev, Benjamin, and Moab. These sites underscore the nomadic and territorial aspects of biblical history, with many linked to encounters with God, military pursuits, or Levitical assignments. Their mentions are typically brief, serving to anchor narratives in specific locales rather than as central settings. Beer: This wilderness well marked a site where the Israelites sang a song of provision during their journey from the desert (Numbers 21:16-18). It also connects to broader Exodus traditions of divine sustenance in arid areas.[13] Beer: A place of refuge in the vicinity of Shechem to which Jotham fled after his parable against Abimelech (Judges 9:21). The name means "well" and indicates a hiding spot.[14] Beer-lahai-roi: Located in the Negev near Kadesh, this well was where Hagar encountered the angel of God after fleeing Sarah, later visited by Isaac and associated with divine promise (Genesis 16:14; 24:62; 25:11).[15] Beeroth: A Hivite city allied with Gibeon, later assigned to Benjamin, it was home to assassins of Ish-Bosheth and noted in tribal lists (Joshua 9:17; 2 Samuel 4:2).[16] Beon: This Moabite town was allotted to the tribe of Reuben and may correspond to Baal Meon in Transjordanian settlements (Numbers 32:3).[17] Bered: A wilderness location near Kadesh where Hagar fled and named in connection to her divine encounter (Genesis 16:14).[18] Berothah: Mentioned in Ezekiel's visionary northern border of Israel, this town lay near Hauran in the ideal restored land (Ezekiel 47:16).[19] Beth-Anath: A Canaanite stronghold in Naphtali territory that the tribe failed to fully conquer, listed among fortified cities (Judges 1:33; Joshua 19:38).[20] Betharabah: A wilderness town on the Judah-Benjamin border near the Dead Sea, serving as a boundary point in tribal surveys (Joshua 15:6, 61; 18:18).[21] Beth-aram: A town in the Jordan Valley allotted to Gad, part of the former kingdom of Sihon (Joshua 13:27).[22] [Also known as Beth-haram in some texts.] Betharbel: Referenced in a prophecy of destruction against Ephraim, possibly identifying with Arbela as a site of historical violence (Hosea 10:14).[23] Beth-aven: Called the "house of wickedness," this site near Ai marked a Benjaminite border and Philistine encampment during Saul's campaigns (Joshua 7:2; 18:12; 1 Samuel 13:5).[24] Beth-azmaveth: A Benjaminite town from which 42 men returned from exile, included in post-exilic population registers (Nehemiah 7:28).[25] Beth-barah: A Jordan River ford where Gideon instructed his men to seize fleeing Midianites during their pursuit (Judges 7:24).[26] Beth-birei: A town assigned to Simeon within Judah's territory, noted in genealogical and settlement records (1 Chronicles 4:31).[27] Beth Car: Identified in the Septuagint as a battlefield near Aphek where Samuel's forces routed the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:11).[28] Beth-diblathaim: A Moabite town listed among sites of judgment, also designated as a Levitical city in Reuben's allotment (Jeremiah 48:22; Joshua 13:19).[29] [Ezekiel 6:14 also references it in prophetic context.] Bethemek: A town possibly in Zebulun, appearing as a variant in tribal boundary descriptions (Joshua 19:38).[30] [Sometimes equated with Beth-emek in Asher.] Bether: Referenced poetically as rugged mountains in the Song of Solomon, evoking separation or division in a lover's imagery (Song of Solomon 2:17).[31] Beth-ezal: An obscure site, potentially a variant in Judahite town lists, linked to prophetic mourning (Micah 1:11).[32] Beth-gader: A place associated with Judah's clans, mentioned in Caleb's genealogical settlements (1 Chronicles 2:51).[33] Beth-gamul: A Moabite town targeted in oracles of destruction, situated in the tableland east of the Dead Sea (Jeremiah 48:23).[34] Beth Jeshimoth: A town near the Jordan in Reuben's territory, used as an Israelite encampment before crossing into Canaan (Numbers 33:49; Ezekiel 25:9).[35] Beth Lebaoth: A town shared between Simeon and Judah in southern allotments, listed in tribal inheritance records (Joshua 15:32; 19:6).[36] Beth-marcaboth: A Simeonite town, possibly linked to chariot stations, included in Judah's southern borders (Joshua 19:5).[37] Beth-meon: A Moabite town allotted to Reuben, condemned in prophecies against Moab (Joshua 13:17; Jeremiah 48:23).[38] Beth-millo: A fortified structure or district in Shechem used for assemblies and later linked to political intrigue (Judges 9:6, 20).[39] Beth Pelet: A town on the Judah-Simeon border, resettled after exile (Joshua 15:27; 19:4).[40] Beth-pazzez: A border town in Issachar's territory, defining the tribe's northern limits (Joshua 19:21).[41] Beth Peor: A Moabite town near Mount Pisgah, serving as Israel's campsite and Moses' burial vicinity (Deuteronomy 3:29; 4:46).[42] Beth-phelet: A variant form of Beth Pelet, appearing in Judah's town lists (Joshua 15:27).[43] Beth-rapha: A site in Judah connected to Eshton's descendants in Caleb's lineage (1 Chronicles 4:12).[44] Bohan: A boundary stone named after Reuben's son, marking the Judah-Benjamin divide north of the Dead Sea (Joshua 15:6; 18:17).[45] This compilation includes lesser-known variants and references for completeness, drawing from primary biblical texts to capture the full scope of these minor locales.C
Caleb-ephrathah was a location associated with the family of Caleb, a prominent figure in the tribe of Judah, mentioned in the genealogical records where it is noted as the place where Caleb married Ephrath after the death of Hezron.[46] This site is linked to the region near Bethlehem, reflecting its position within Judahite territory during the settlement period.[47] Camon, situated in the region of Gilead east of the Jordan River, served as the burial place of Jair, one of the judges of Israel who led the people for twenty-two years.[48] The town is referenced solely in connection with Jair's death, highlighting its minor role in the narrative of Israel's leadership transitions.[49] Carem appears as a town in the hill country of Judah in the Septuagint version of Joshua 15:25, listed among settlements allocated to the tribe during the conquest.[50] This variant reading expands the inventory of Judean sites beyond the Masoretic Text, indicating possible regional variations in ancient geographic records. Casiphia was a settlement in Babylon where temple servants and Levites resided during the exile, from which Ezra recruited personnel for the return to Jerusalem.[51] It functioned as a community hub for Jewish exiles, particularly those involved in temple service, underscoring the dispersed nature of post-exilic Jewish populations.[52] The Cave of Makkedah provided a temporary hiding place for the five Amorite kings—those of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon—during Joshua's southern campaign, until they were discovered and executed by the Israelites.[53] This natural feature near the town of Makkedah symbolized the defeat of Canaanite coalitions, with the bodies of the kings displayed as a warning to others.[54] Chephirah, a city of the Gibeonites in the territory of Benjamin, was one of the four towns whose inhabitants deceived Joshua into a treaty of peace, sparing them from conquest. Later, during the post-exilic period, 743 descendants from Chephirah, Kiriath-jearim, and Beeroth returned to Judah, integrating into the repopulated lands.[55] Chezib, a Canaanite town where Judah's wife Bath-shua bore his third son Shelah, is identified in some traditions with Achzib in the lowlands of Judah. This brief mention ties the site to Judah's personal history amid his interactions with local Canaanite communities.[56] Culon is enumerated as a town in the hill country of Judah in the Septuagint text of Joshua 15:59, appearing alongside Bethlehem and other villages in the tribal allotment.[57] Like Carem, its inclusion in the Greek translation highlights Septuagint-specific geographic details absent from certain Hebrew manuscripts, enriching the understanding of ancient Judean settlements.D
Diblah is referenced in the Hebrew Bible as a boundary marker in a prophecy of desolation against Israel for idolatry, extending from the wilderness in the south to Diblah in the north.[58] Scholars identify it as likely a variant spelling of Diblathaim, a Moabite town mentioned in Numbers 33:46 and Jeremiah 48:22, situated east of the Dead Sea in the region of Moab.[59] The exact site remains unidentified, though some propose a connection to Dibl, a village in Upper Galilee south of Tibnin, while others suggest a possible scribal error for Riblah in Syria; however, the Masoretic Text supports Diblah.[59] This placement aligns with prophetic contexts emphasizing judgments reaching Moabite borders.[60] Dilean appears in the tribal allotments of Judah as a town in the Shephelah, the lowland region between the Judean hills and the Philistine plain.[61] It is listed alongside Mizpeh and Joktheel in Joshua 15:38, indicating its position among settlements in western Judah, likely north of Lachish and Eglon.[62] The site's precise location is unknown, with tentative identifications including Tell en-Najileh, though no archaeological confirmation exists.[62] The name's meaning is obscure, and it receives no further biblical mention beyond this inventory of Judah's inheritance.[63] Dimonah is enumerated among the southern towns of Judah in the Negeb desert, near the Edomite border, as part of the tribal division in Joshua 15:22.[64] It is grouped with Kinah and Adadah, reflecting settlements in the arid southern periphery of Judah's territory.[65] Many scholars equate Dimonah with Dibon, a post-exilic Judean town in Nehemiah 11:25, suggesting continuity in occupation after the Babylonian exile.[66] Possible archaeological sites include Ararah, about 7 miles southeast of Beersheba, or ruins 8-9 miles southeast of Arad, though identifications remain provisional without definitive evidence.[65] Dura denotes a plain in the province of Babylon where King Nebuchadnezzar II erected a massive golden image, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, commanding worship from officials across his empire as described in Daniel 3:1.[67] This location served as a site for imperial convocations, underscoring Babylon's role as the administrative and religious heart of the Neo-Babylonian Empire during the 6th century BCE.[68] Geographically, it lies within the province surrounding the city of Babylon, possibly near the Douair mounds southeast of the ancient capital or inside the city's great walls as part of the rampart known as "dur Su-anna" (Lofty-defense); alternative proposals place it near the Elamite border at Deru or Dur-ili.[69] No specific archaeological remains of the image or event have been confirmed, but the plain's use highlights Babylonian practices of centralized authority and monumental displays.[68]E
Places beginning with "E" in the Bible often denote locations associated with springs, borders, and tribal territories, reflecting the geographical and hydrological features of ancient Israel and its neighbors. Many names incorporate "En-" (meaning spring or fountain), highlighting water sources crucial for settlement and travel, particularly along eastern and northern boundaries as described in prophetic and historical texts. Eglaim was a Moabite town situated near the Zered brook, mentioned in prophecies of judgment against Moab where its inhabitants would wail in distress. It also appears in Ezekiel's vision of restored waters reaching the Salt Sea, possibly as a site of future abundance.[70] Elealeh, a town in the territory of Reuben near Heshbon east of the Jordan, was built by the Reubenites and later repossessed by Moabites, symbolizing divine judgment in Isaiah's oracle.[71] Its cries of lamentation extended to Jahaz during Moab's downfall.[72] Eleph was a town allotted to the tribe of Benjamin in the hill country, listed among fourteen cities including Jerusalem in Joshua's tribal divisions.[73] Elon-beth-hanan, meaning "oak of the house of favor," served as a district town in the administrative region under Solomon's official Ben-Deker, encompassing areas like Shaalbim and Beth-shemesh.[74] Elon-meonenim, translated as the "Oak of Diviners" or "Oak of Meonenim," was a landmark near Shechem from which Gaal observed Abimelech's approaching forces during civil unrest.[75] Eltolad, also known as Tolad, was a town in the southern district of Judah later assigned to Simeon, listed among settlements like Hormah in the tribal allotments.[76] Enam, meaning "two springs," was a town in the lowland (Shephelah) of Judah, near Tappuah, and identified as the "entrance of Enaim" on the road to Timnah where Tamar awaited Judah.[77] En-eglaim, a site at the eastern end of the Salt Sea, was envisioned in Ezekiel as a place where fishermen would spread nets amid healed waters flowing from the temple.[78] En-gannim, meaning "spring of gardens," referred to two distinct locations: one in the lowland of Judah near Zanoah, and another in Issachar assigned to Levites, both emphasizing fertile spring areas.[79] En-haddah, a town in Issachar listed alongside En-gannim in the tribal inheritance, likely derived from a spring providing water in the northern region. En-hakkore, the "Spring of Him Who Called," miraculously appeared when God provided water from a jawbone for Samson after his victory at Lehi, quenching his thirst in the wilderness. Ephratha, a variant spelling of Ephrathah near Bethlehem, appears in the Septuagint version of Joshua as part of Caleb's territory, linked to the origins of David's lineage. Esek, meaning "contention," was a well dug by Isaac's servants in the valley of Gerar, disputed by Philistines who filled it, prompting Isaac to name it for the strife. En-shemesh, the "Spring of the Sun," marked a boundary point between Judah and Benjamin, rising near Jericho and descending toward En-rogel in the Jordan Valley. Eshan, a town in the hill country of Judah, was enumerated among settlements like Socoh in the southern highlands during the land division.[80] Esora, a variant of Aesora mentioned in the Book of Judith, represented a fortified town in the northern region during historical narratives of resistance. Eth-kazin, a border town of Zebulun near the approach to Dabbesheth, defined part of the tribe's northern boundary in Joshua's survey. Ezel, a stone pillar near Saul's territory where David and Jonathan arranged a signal for David's safety, serving as a discreet meeting point during Saul's pursuit.G
Galeed, meaning "heap of witness" in Hebrew, refers to a cairn of stones erected by Jacob and his father-in-law Laban as a boundary marker and testimony to their covenant in the land of Gilead.[81] This site symbolized mutual non-aggression, with Laban naming it Jegar Sahadutha in Aramaic while Jacob used the Hebrew Galeed, highlighting linguistic differences in their agreement.[82] Located in the Gilead region east of the Jordan River, it served as a commemorative landmark rather than a settled town.[83] Gallim was a small town in the territory of Benjamin, situated north of Jerusalem near Anathoth and Laishah.[84] It appears in prophetic warnings of Assyrian invasion, where inhabitants were called to cry out in alarm. The town is also noted as the home of Palti (or Phaltiel), to whom King Saul gave his daughter Michal after separating her from David.[85] Likely a rural village, Gallim's position placed it in a vulnerable frontier area during periods of regional conflict.[86] Gath-rimmon, meaning "winepress of the pomegranate," was a Levitical city assigned to the Kohathite clan, initially in the territory of Dan but later associated with Ephraim.[87] In Dan's lowland allocation, it bordered towns like Bene-berak and Joppa, serving as a refuge and pastoral center for Levites.[88] Chronicles lists it among Ephraim's cities given to Levites, indicating possible territorial shifts or dual identifications for the same site.[89] This ambiguity underscores the under-discussed dual attribution of Gath-rimmon in biblical geography, potentially reflecting administrative reassignments post-conquest.[90] Positioned in the coastal plain, it supported priestly functions amid Philistine influences.[91] Gebim, translated as "grasshoppers" or "locusts," was a village north of Jerusalem in Benjamin's territory, near Ramah and Anathoth.[92] Its residents fled during the prophesied Assyrian advance toward the city, seeking refuge as part of a chain of panicked evacuations.[93] Identified possibly with modern el-Isawiyeh, Gebim represented a minor settlement in the Judean highlands' northern approaches.[94] No further occupations or events are recorded, emphasizing its role as a fleeting mention in invasion oracles.[95] Gederothaim, or "two sheepfolds," was a town in Judah's Shephelah region, the lowland foothills between the central hills and Philistine plain.[96] Listed among fourteen settlements in Judah's inheritance, it neighbored Shaaraim and Adithaim, functioning as an agricultural outpost.[97] The site's dual form in some texts suggests it may encompass Gederah or indicate fortified enclosures for herding.[98] As a buffer against Philistine incursions, Gederothaim contributed to Judah's defensive landscape in the western lowlands.[99] Geliloth, meaning "circuits" or "borders," denoted a boundary point or district near the Jordan River on the eastern edge of Benjamin's territory.[100] In the tribal allotments, the border ran from En-shemesh toward Geliloth, opposite the ascent of Adummim, before descending to the Stone of Bohan. Likely not a single town but a descriptive term for winding paths or enclosures along the Jordan rift, it marked the transition between Judah and Benjamin.[101] This feature aided in delineating land divisions during Joshua's surveys.[102] Gibbar, possibly an ancestral head or variant of Gibeon, represented a family or place in Judah from which 95 exiles returned under Zerubbabel.[103] Listed among post-exilic returnees, it aligns with Benjaminite locales like Anathoth and Ramah.[104] Nehemiah's parallel text equates it with Gibeon, suggesting a scribal or locative adaptation for a Judean settlement.[105] Its inclusion highlights minor clans' role in repopulating Jerusalem after Babylonian captivity.[106] Gittaim was a Benjaminite town that served as a refuge for the Beerothites fleeing Saul's persecution, where they resided as protected strangers.[107] Located near Hazor and Ramah, it later housed returning exiles resettling Benjamin's villages post-exile.[108] The site's role as a haven underscores patterns of displacement and resettlement in Israelite history.[109] Identified possibly with modern sites south of Gezer, Gittaim exemplified minor towns' strategic importance in tribal networks.[110] Gur-baal, meaning "sojourners' cave" or "dwelling of Baal," was a Philistine or Arab settlement near Gaza, targeted during King Uzziah's campaigns.[111] God aided Uzziah against its Arab inhabitants and the Meunites, enabling Judah's expansion into the Negev.[112] Positioned between Canaan and Arabia, it represented frontier outposts vulnerable to Judean incursions.[113] The conquest bolstered Uzziah's fortifications and tribute system in the region.[114]H
Habor is a river in the region of Assyria where the Israelites from the northern kingdom were exiled by the Assyrian king (2 Kings 17:6; 18:11; 1 Chronicles 5:26).[115] It is commonly identified with the modern Khabur River, a tributary of the Euphrates in northeastern Syria, with high scholarly confidence based on geographical and historical correlations.[116] Hachilah refers to a hill in the wilderness of Judah, south of Jeshimon, where David hid from King Saul during his flight (1 Samuel 23:19; 26:1).[117] The exact modern location remains uncertain, though some scholars propose identifications with ridges near Ziph, such as Dahr el-Kola northeast of Hebron or sites facing the desert wilderness.[118] Hadad-Rimmon is a place in the plain of Megiddo, noted for great lamentation, likely alluding to the mourning for King Josiah slain in battle there (Zechariah 12:11; cf. 2 Chronicles 35:22-25).[119] It may correspond to ancient sites near modern Legio or Maximianopolis in the Jezreel Valley, combining names of Syrian deities Hadad and Rimmon.[120] Hadashah was a town allotted to the tribe of Judah in the lowland region (Joshua 15:37).[121] Its precise location is unknown, but it is grouped with other Judean settlements in biblical tribal allotments. Hali appears as a border town assigned to the tribe of Asher along the coastal plain (Joshua 19:25).[122] Scholars suggest possible identifications near modern sites in northern Israel, though exact coordinates remain debated. Hammath served as a fortified city and Levitical town in the territory of Naphtali, located near the Sea of Galilee (Joshua 19:35; 21:32).[123] It is associated with hot springs and may be linked to the modern Hammat Tiberias, a site known for thermal waters since antiquity. Hammon is listed as a town in Asher's territory (Joshua 19:28), though some texts place a similar-named site in Naphtali (1 Chronicles 6:76).[124] Distinctions between these references suggest possible variant identifications, potentially near modern Hammon in Upper Galilee. Hammoth-dor was a Levitical city in Naphtali, noted for its hot springs and fortified status (Joshua 21:32).[125] It is often equated with or near Hammath, emphasizing its thermal features in the region's geography. Hamonah denotes a location in the prophetic vision of Ezekiel where burials would occur after the defeat of Gog (Ezekiel 39:16, implied in context).[126] As a future or symbolic site, it lacks a confirmed historical or modern identification. Hapharaim was a town in the territory of Issachar (Joshua 19:19).[127] Its location is uncertain, possibly in the Jezreel Valley among other Issachar settlements. Hareth describes a forest in the land of Judah where the prophet Gad instructed David to hide from Saul (1 Samuel 22:5).[128] The site is not precisely located but is understood as part of the wooded areas in Judah's wilderness. Hazar-addar marked a southern border point for the land of Israel in the wilderness region (Numbers 34:4).[129] It may correspond to areas near the border of Edom, though modern equivalents are speculative. Hazar-enan served as a northern boundary town toward the territory of Hamath (Numbers 34:9; Ezekiel 47:17).[130] It is identified by some with modern locations in the Hauran region of southern Syria. Hazar-gaddah was a town in the Negeb district of Judah (Joshua 15:27).[43] As a frontier settlement, its exact site remains unidentified amid southern desert towns. Hazar-shual appears as a town in the territory of Simeon, also listed under Judah (Joshua 15:28; 19:3).[131] It is possibly linked to ruins in the Negeb, highlighting overlapping tribal claims. Hazar-susah was another town in Simeon's allotment, potentially near Hazar-shual (Joshua 19:5).[37] The name suggests a mare's courtyard, but no confirmed modern site exists. Hazer-hatticon is mentioned as a border village toward Hauran in Ezekiel's vision of restored boundaries (Ezekiel 47:16).[19] It likely refers to a location between Damascus and Hamath, with uncertain modern parallels. Hazor-hadattah, or "New Hazor," was a town in the Negeb of Judah (Joshua 15:25).[132] Distinct from the major northern Hazor, it represents a southern outpost without a verified identification. Heleph marked a border town in Naphtali's territory (Joshua 19:33).[133] It is situated near the Jordan Valley, possibly near modern sites in the Galilee. Helkath was a Levitical town assigned to Asher (Joshua 19:25; 21:31).[134] Some identify it with the ruins at Tell el-Harbaj in western Galilee. Helkath-hazzurim refers to a field near Gibeon where a bloody encounter occurred between forces of David and Saul's house (2 Samuel 2:16).[135] The name means "field of sword-edges," indicating its role in the civil war, with location near modern Gibeon (el-Jib). Hena is listed among Assyrian cities in prophecies against Sennacherib (2 Kings 18:34; 19:13).[136] It is an obscure site, possibly in Mesopotamia, without a clear modern identification. Hepher denotes a city of a Canaanite king defeated by Joshua (Joshua 12:17), also a district under Solomon (1 Kings 4:10).[137] It may refer to sites in the lowlands, distinct from other uses of the name. Heshmon was a town in Judah's Negeb (Joshua 15:27).[43] As a southern settlement, it lacks a precise modern counterpart. Holon appears as a town in the hill country of Judah (Joshua 15:51), and separately in Moab (Jeremiah 48:21).[138] The Judean site may be near Deir el-Höleil southwest of Hebron, distinguishing it from the Moabite reference. Horem was a fortified town in Naphtali (Joshua 19:38).[30] Its location is uncertain, possibly in upper Galilee among other northern sites. Hosah marked a border town in Asher, near Tyre (Joshua 19:29).[139] It is identified with the modern village of Hosah or Umm el-Hös, close to the Lebanese border. Hukkok was a border town between Naphtali and Zebulun, near the Sea of Galilee (Joshua 19:34).[140] Scholars link it to Yakuk, a site east of Safed in northern Israel. Humtah served as a town in the hill country of Judah (Joshua 15:54).[141] It is possibly associated with ruins near Hebron, though exact identification is debated. Hushah is mentioned as a place or clan associated with Judah, linked to the family of Caleb (1 Chronicles 4:4).[142] As a minor reference, it may represent a settlement in Judah without a confirmed location.I
Idalah was a town within the territory allotted to the tribe of Zebulun, listed among the twelve cities assigned to that tribe during the division of the Promised Land.[143] This settlement appears in the biblical record as part of the broader demarcation of lands for the Israelite tribes, emphasizing the structured inheritance process outlined in the conquest narratives.[144] Ijon served as a northern town in the territory of Naphtali, captured by King Ben-Hadad of Aram during his campaign against Baasha, king of Israel, as part of a defensive alliance with Asa of Judah.[145] Located near Dan, Ijon's strategic position in the northern highlands made it vulnerable to incursions from neighboring powers, highlighting the geopolitical tensions in the region during the divided monarchy period. It was later seized by the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III in the eighth century BCE, underscoring its role in the broader conflicts that led to the fall of the northern kingdom. Iphtah was identified as a town in the southern territory of Judah, included in the list of cities and villages granted to that tribe.[146] Its mention reflects the detailed surveying of Judah's inheritance, which encompassed diverse landscapes from the Negev to the Judean hills, providing a base for settlement and defense.[147] Iphtah-el, possibly a valley or fortified town, marked a point on the northern border of Zebulun's allotment, extending from the region near Neah eastward.[148] The site's dual identification as a geographical feature or settlement illustrates the fluid biblical terminology for border landmarks, which often served as natural boundaries in tribal divisions.[149] Irpeel was a town assigned to the tribe of Benjamin, situated among the central hill country settlements in its inheritance list.[150] As one of the lesser-documented sites, it contributed to Benjamin's compact domain, which bridged the territories of Judah and Ephraim, facilitating inter-tribal interactions.[151] Ithlah belonged to the tribe of Dan, listed as part of its western inheritance that included coastal plain access before later migrations.[152] This town's placement near Aijalon and other Danite cities points to its role in the tribe's efforts to secure lowland areas amid pressures from Philistine neighbors.[153] Ittah-kazin functioned as a border town on the eastern edge of Zebulun's territory, noted in the boundary description running from Gath-hepher toward Rimmon.[154] Recognized as a variant spelling of Eth-kazin in some textual traditions, it exemplifies the minor place names that defined tribal perimeters without further historical elaboration.[155]J
Jabneel served as a border town in the territories allotted to both Judah and Naphtali, marking a key point in the delineation of their boundaries. It is possibly identified with the modern site of Yavne'el in northern Israel.[156] Jahaz was a Moabite town located east of the Jordan River, notable as the site where the Amorite king Sihon engaged the Israelites in battle during their wilderness journey. Following the Israelite victory, it was assigned to the tribe of Reuben as part of their inheritance.[157] Janim appears as a town situated in the hill country of Judah, listed among the settlements in the southern district of the tribal territory. Jearim refers to the "Woods of" or forested area on the western border of Judah, serving as a geographical marker in the boundary descriptions extending from Baalah westward. Jegar-sahadutha is the Aramaic designation for the heap of stones known in Hebrew as Galeed, erected by Jacob and Laban as a witness to their covenant at Mizpah. This name, meaning "heap of witness," highlights the bilingual context of the patriarchal narratives, where Aramaic and Hebrew terms coexist to denote the same landmark. Jeruel denotes a wilderness location in the territory of Judah, identified as the assembly point for King Jehoshaphat's forces prior to their victorious battle against the Moabites and Ammonites. Jethlah was a town assigned to the tribe of Dan, included in the list of its thirteen cities within the lowland region. Jiphtah is mentioned as a town in the region of Gilead, potentially a variant form associated with the broader territorial allocations east of the Jordan. Jiphtah-el functions as a variant of Iphtah-el, marking a boundary point for the tribe of Zebulun in the northern territories. Jogbehah constituted a fortified town granted to the tribe of Gad east of the Jordan, later serving as a strategic stop for Gideon's pursuit of the Midianites. Jokdeam is recorded as a town in the hill country of Judah, part of the cluster of settlements in the southern highlands. This selection of J-named places encompasses a range of conquest sites, boundary markers, and memorials, with notable inclusion of Aramaic-Hebrew name pairs like Jegar-sahadutha to reflect the linguistic diversity in biblical geography.K
Kamon, also known as Camon in some translations, served as the burial site for Jair, one of the judges of Israel, in the region of Gilead east of the Jordan River. According to the biblical account, Jair judged Israel for twenty-two years before his death and burial there. Scholars suggest it may correspond to ancient ruins at Kamm or Kumeim, located approximately 6-7 miles south-southeast of Umm Qais (biblical Gadara), featuring rock-hewn cisterns and modest structures indicative of an early settlement.[158] Kasiphia, a variant spelling of Casiphia, refers to a location in Babylonian exile where Jewish temple personnel resided during the Persian period. Ezra dispatched messengers to Iddo, the leader there, to recruit Levites and Nethinim (temple servants) for service in the reconstructed Jerusalem temple, as detailed in the narrative of the exiles' return. Situated in northern Babylonia near the Ahava River—a canal likely connected to the Euphrates—it derives etymologically from the Hebrew word kasiphya, possibly linked to "kesef" (silver), suggesting a site associated with treasuries or monetary functions.[159] Historical analysis identifies it as a Jewish community center for Levitical families, underscoring its role in post-exilic religious organization.[160] Kirjathjearim, translated as "city of forests," appears in the biblical record as one of the four principal Gibeonite cities, alongside Gibeon, Chephirah, and Beeroth, which the Israelites encountered during their campaign in Canaan. It briefly housed the Ark of the Covenant after the Philistines returned it to Beth Shemesh, with inhabitants of Kirjathjearim transporting it to the home of Abinadab for safekeeping. Positioned on the tribal border between Judah and Benjamin in the hill country west of Jerusalem, its references emphasize boundary markers rather than central events, marking it as borderline minor despite occasional prominence in ark-related traditions.[161] Kithlish, alternatively spelled Chitlish or Chithlish, was an obscure town assigned to the tribe of Judah within the Shephelah, the lowland region between the coastal plain and the Judean hills. It is enumerated in the territorial allotments alongside Cabbon, Lahmam, and Gederoth, highlighting its integration into Judah's southern frontier settlements. No further biblical events are tied to the site, and its precise location remains unidentified, though it fits the pattern of fortified villages in the fertile Shephelah area vulnerable to Philistine incursions.[162]L
Laharoi is an alternate spelling of Beer-lahai-roi, a well in the wilderness mentioned in the narrative of Hagar's encounter with the angel of the Lord.[163] This site, located between Kadesh and Bered in the Negev region, derives its name from the Hebrew phrase meaning "well of the Living One who sees me," commemorating the divine vision experienced there.[164] The reference appears solely in Genesis 16:14, highlighting its role as a landmark of divine providence rather than a major settlement.[165] Lecah is referenced in the genealogical records of the tribe of Judah as a place associated with Er, son of Shelah.[166] In 1 Chronicles 4:21, Er is described as "the father of Lecah," suggesting it was either a settlement founded by him or a clan named after the location within Judahite territory.[167] Its precise geographical position remains unidentified in biblical texts or subsequent archaeological records, underscoring the fragmentary nature of Judah's southern clans in post-exilic compilations.[168] Lebaoth appears in the tribal allotments of Judah as one of the southern cities, listed alongside Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon.[169] This entry in Joshua 15:32 forms part of a tally of twenty-nine towns and villages in the Negeb district, indicating Lebaoth's status as a minor rural site.[170] It is considered a variant or abbreviated form of Beth-lebaoth, which is later assigned to the tribe of Simeon in Joshua 19:6, reflecting overlapping territorial claims in the arid southern frontier.[171] Luhith is depicted as a steep ascent in Moab, invoked in prophetic oracles against the nation during its distress.[172] Isaiah 15:5 portrays fugitives from Moab climbing the ascent of Luhith while weeping, en route toward Zoar amid invasion or calamity.[173] Similarly, Jeremiah 48:5 describes continuous weeping on this path, linking it to the nearby descent of Horonaim and emphasizing themes of lament in Moabite prophecies. Ancient sources place Luhith between Areopolis (Rabbah) and Zoar, identifying it as a rugged pass in the region's eastern highlands.[174]M
Mahaneh Dan, also known as the "Camp of Dan," refers to a region located between Zorah and Eshtaol, as well as another site within 10 kilometers of Kiriath Jearim, where the Danites established a camp during their northward migration as described in the Book of Judges.[175] This site highlights the Danite tribe's early settlements before their conquest of Laish, serving as a base for their activities.[176] Makaz was a town included in one of Solomon's administrative districts in the territory of Dan, listed alongside Shaalbim and Beth Shemesh in the Valley of Aijalon.[177] Possible identifications include sites such as Deir Muheisin or Horbat Avimor, indicating its role in the royal provisioning system. Makkedah served as a key city during the Israelite conquest of Canaan, where Joshua pursued and defeated the southern kings, using nearby caves to hide and later execute them.[178] Located in the territory of Judah, it is suggested to be at sites like Khirbet el Qom or Tell Beit Mirsim, and it later became part of the Judahite inheritance.[179] Manocho appears as a variant name in the Septuagint version of the list of Judahite towns in Joshua, possibly denoting or equating to Manahath, a site associated with descendants of Shobal in the Edomite genealogy.[180] This addition in the Greek translation extends the catalog of minor settlements in the Judean hills, though its exact location remains uncertain.[181] Maon was a town in the wilderness of Judah, serving as a refuge for David when he fled from Saul, and it was home to Nabal before his death.[182] Identified with Tel Main, it lay in a rugged, arid region south of Hebron, emphasizing its strategic isolation. Maralah marked a boundary point on the northern border of the tribe of Zebulun, situated near the Valley of Iphtah El.[183] Potential sites include Tell Thorah or Tell el Ghaltah, illustrating the tribal allotments' geographical delineations in the Galilee region. Masrekah was an Edomite town, serving as the residence of Samlah during his kingship over Edom before the establishment of Israelite monarchy.[184] Located within 5 kilometers of Jebel el Musraq in southern Jordan, it represents one of the lesser-known settlements in the Edomite kingdom. Meah, often called the Tower of Meah or Tower of the Hundred, was a structure in the northern wall of Jerusalem, adjacent to the Sheep Gate during the city's rebuilding under Nehemiah.[185] Its name may derive from a height of 100 cubits or 100 steps, and it stood near the modern Al-Omariyeh Madrasah on the Temple Mount's northern edge.[186][187] Mejarcon, also spelled Me-jarkon or Mejarkon, was a coastal town allotted to the tribe of Dan, lying along the border facing Joppa.[188] This site underscores the Danites' access to Mediterranean ports in their initial territory before territorial losses prompted further migrations.[189] Meonenim, or the Plain of Meonenim, also known as the Diviners' Terebinth or Oak of the Diviners, was a landmark near Shechem from which Gaal observed Abimelech's approaching forces.[190] It likely refers to a terebinth tree associated with soothsaying practices in the central hill country.[191] Mephaath was a Levitical city assigned to the Merarite clan within the tribe of Reuben, located east of the Jordan.[192] Later mentioned in prophecies against Moab, possible identifications include Umm ar Rasas or Tell Jawa in modern Jordan, highlighting its role in transjordanian Levitical settlements.[193] Michmethath, sometimes rendered Michmethah, denoted a boundary marker east of Shechem on the border between Ephraim and Manasseh.[194] It may represent a geographical feature like a wadi or ridge, with suggested sites such as Khirbet en Nabi or Mount Kabir. Middin was a wilderness town in the Judean desert, listed among settlements near the Dead Sea.[195] Potential locations include Khirbet Abu Tabaq or the ancient fortress of Hyrcania, reflecting sparse habitation in the arid eastern fringes of Judah. Migron was a rocky site near Gibeah where Saul and his men hid while waiting for Jonathan's raid on the Philistines, and it later appears in a prophetic oracle against Assyria.[196] Identified possibly with Tell Maryam or the cliffs of Nahal Mikhmash, it served as a strategic vantage in the Benjaminite highlands. Minni referred to the Mannaean region in ancient Armenia, summoned as allies against Babylon in a prophetic call to arms.[197] Centered around sites like Qalaichi approximately 150 kilometers south of Lake Urmia, it illustrates biblical references to distant northern kingdoms. Minnith was an Ammonite town captured by Jephthah during his campaign against the Ammonites, noted for its wheat exports to Tyre.[198] Possible locations include Umm el Hanafish or Khirbet el Yadudeh east of the Jordan, emphasizing Ammon's agricultural significance in trade networks. Misrephoth-maim, translated as "burnings of waters" or hot springs, marked the northern limit of Joshua's pursuit of Canaanite kings and the boundary of unconquered territory near Sidon.[199] Suggested sites along the Litani River or at Ain Mesherfi indicate its position in the Phoenician coastal plain. Mount Jearim, also called Mount Chesalon in some contexts, was a hill on the boundary of Judah near Beth Shemesh and the Valley of Soreq.[200] Lying within 1 kilometer of Chesalon, it contributed to the western tribal demarcations in the Shephelah region. These M-named places extend the scope of biblical geography to include Edomite and Ammonite sites like Masrekah and Minnith, as well as distant regions such as Minni, providing a broader view beyond core Canaanite locales.[201]Places from N to Z
N
Neah is a minor town mentioned in the territorial allotment to the tribe of Zebulun, described as part of the eastern border extending from Rimmon toward Neah.[202] It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible and remains unidentified in modern geography, though it is situated in the region of ancient Galilee.[203] Neballat was a post-exilic settlement in the territory of Benjamin, repopulated by returning exiles as part of efforts to restore Jewish communities in the region.[204] Listed alongside Lod and Ono, it is identified with the ruins at Beit Nebala, approximately 3.5 miles north of Lydda (modern Lod) in the coastal plain.[205] This location reflects the broader post-exilic repopulation of Benjaminite towns to strengthen Judean presence. Nibshan refers to a town in the wilderness of Judah, included among six desert settlements allocated to the tribe of Judah.[206] Positioned between Secacah and the City of Salt, it is associated with arid areas southwest of Jericho and identified with Khirbet el-Maqari in the Buqe'ah valley.[207] The site's remote, barren setting underscores the challenges of inhabiting Judah's southern wilderness fringes. No, also known as No-Amon, denotes the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, the capital of Upper Egypt and a major religious center dedicated to the god Amon.[208] Biblical prophets reference it as a symbol of imperial power destined for destruction, with Yahweh declaring punishment against Amon of No alongside Pharaoh and Egypt's gods.[209] Further oracles in Ezekiel target No amid prophecies of Egypt's downfall, portraying its fortresses and surrounding waters as vulnerable.[210] This expansive depiction highlights No's strategic and cultural significance in Egyptian history, often abbreviated in biblical place lists to emphasize its theological role over exhaustive details.[211]P
ParbarParbar refers to a structure on the western side of the Temple in Jerusalem, associated with the organization of gatekeepers during the time of David. In 1 Chronicles 26:18, it is described as a location where two guards were stationed, alongside four at the nearby highway or causeway. The term likely denotes an annex or open court extending westward from the Temple complex, possibly serving as a place of ritual separation or storage.[212] Archaeological interpretations link it to features like the Shallecheth Gate, evidenced by seals such as that of Nathan-Melech, suggesting its role in Second Temple administration.[213] Perez Uzzah
Perez Uzzah, translating to "outburst against Uzzah," marks the site of an incident during the transport of the Ark of the Covenant from Kiriath Jearim toward Jerusalem. As recorded in 2 Samuel 6:8, David designated this location near the threshing floor after the event, reflecting divine intervention. The name persists in biblical tradition as a memorial to the occurrence along the procession route.[214] Phagor
Phagor appears exclusively in the Septuagint translation of Joshua 15:59a as one of eleven cities in the hill country of Judah, listed after Theko and Ephratha (identified as Bethlehem) and before Aitan, Koulon, and others, with their associated villages.[215] This reading, present in codices like Vaticanus and Alexandrinus, expands the Masoretic Text's account and includes Phagor among settlements not otherwise attested in Hebrew versions, highlighting Septuagintal additions to Judah's territorial allotments.[216] Such variants, sometimes omitted in standard lists, underscore the textual diversity in ancient biblical geography.[217] Pul
Pul denotes a distant region mentioned among nations in Isaiah 66:19, where God promises to send survivors to proclaim divine glory to places including Tarshish, Pul, Lud, Tubal, and Javan.[218] Scholars commonly identify Pul with Put, referring to Libya or a North African territory known for archery, aligning with the verse's description of bow-drawing peoples.[219] This association positions Pul as an emblem of remote Gentile lands in prophetic visions of universal witness.[220]
