En-shemesh
Where it is
31.77° N, 35.27° E
Mentioned most in
About this place
En-shemesh, meaning "spring of the sun," was a spring located on the border between the territories of Judah and Benjamin, near Jerusalem (Joshua 15:7; 18:17). It is mentioned twice in the Bible, both times in the context of describing the boundary lines of these two tribes.
In Joshua 15:7, En-shemesh is listed as one of the landmarks on the northern border of Judah, along with the Stone of Bohan, the son of Reuben, and the valley of Achor. In Joshua 18:17, it is mentioned again as part of the southern border of Benjamin, along with Geliloth and the stone of Bohan.
The exact location of En-shemesh is uncertain, but it was likely situated east of Jerusalem, in the vicinity of the Kidron Valley. Its name, "spring of the sun," may suggest that it was located in a sunny spot or that it had some association with sun worship in Canaanite times.
Apart from its role in demarcating the tribal boundaries, no other details about En-shemesh are provided in the Bible. Its mention in the boundary descriptions helps to establish the geographical extent of Judah and Benjamin's territories during the division of the Promised Land.
Every mention
Joshua 2 mentions
What the dictionary says
Fountain of the sun a spring which formed one of the landmarks on the boundary between Judah and Benjamin (Josh. 15:7; 18:17).
Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding · CC BY 4.0 · www.openbible.info/geo/
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain