Lexical Summary Channathon: Channathon Original Word: חַנָּתֹן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hannathon Probably from chanan; favored; Channathon, a place in Palestine -- Hannathon. see HEBREW chanan NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chanan Definition a place in Zebulun NASB Translation Hannathon (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs חַנָּתֹן proper name, of a location place in the tribe of Zebulun Joshua 19:14; ᵐ5 Αμωθ, Αενναθωθ, ᵐ5L Αναθωθ; site unknown; according to Conder = Talm, Caphar Hanania (NbrGeogr. 176. 226) on the border of Upper and Lower Galilee, modern Kefr' Anân, SurveyWP i. 205, 207. Topical Lexicon Name and Meaning Hanathon carries the sense of “place of favor” or “gracious settlement,” being formed from the Hebrew root חָנַן, “to show grace.” The name itself therefore hints at divine generosity woven into Israel’s inheritance. Biblical Setting and Geography Hanathon appears once, at the close of the border description for the tribe of Zebulun (Joshua 19:14). The allotment’s perimeter “curved around on the north to Hanathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El”. The most widely accepted identification is Tel Hanaton, an oval-shaped tell in Lower Galilee roughly twelve kilometers southeast of Acre, commanding the marshy Beit Netofa Valley and a segment of the Via Maris. The location would have safeguarded a strategic intersection where coastal traffic turned east toward the Sea of Galilee and inland highlands. Tribal Allocation In Joshua 19 the Lord, through the casting of lots, fixes the boundaries of Zebulun between Issachar to the east and Asher and Naphtali to the west and north. Hanathon, sitting on the northern arc of that border, marks the point at which the line veers south-west into the Valley of Iphtah El before closing the loop near the Mediterranean approaches. The precision of the record underscores God’s orderly distribution of land promised to Abraham (Genesis 15:18-21) and guarantees that every tribe, including the relatively small Zebulun, receives its appointed inheritance. Historical Context Archaeological investigation at Tel Hanaton has revealed Middle Bronze through Iron Age strata, with Late Bronze II occupation that fits the timeframe of Joshua. Tablets from fourteenth-century B.C. Amarna correspondence mention a city called “Hinnatuna,” likely the same place, affirming Hanathon’s status as a fortified administrative center even before Israel’s settlement. Pottery, fortification walls and a north-south road bed highlight its role as a way-station controlling commerce and military movements between Phoenicia and the Jordan Valley. Theological Significance 1. Fulfillment of Promise: Hanathon stands as a geographical witness that the land division recorded in Joshua is concrete and historical, demonstrating the reliability of God’s word in allocating Israel’s territory. Typological and Ministry Insights • In Christ believers have “an inheritance that can never perish” (1 Peter 1:4). Like Zebulun, each Christian lives within divinely appointed borders—spiritual gifts, callings and circumstances—assigned for God’s glory (1 Corinthians 12:18). Lessons for Faith and Practice 1. Pay Attention to the “Small” Details: God’s faithfulness is manifested in seemingly minor place-names, encouraging careful study of Scripture. Summary Though mentioned only once, Hanathon highlights divine grace in territorial inheritance, affirms the historicity of Joshua, and offers enduring principles on stewardship, mission and the trustworthiness of God’s promises. Forms and Transliterations חַנָּתֹ֑ן חנתן channaTon ḥan·nā·ṯōn ḥannāṯōnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 19:14 HEB: הַגְּב֔וּל מִצְּפ֖וֹן חַנָּתֹ֑ן וְהָיוּ֙ תֹּֽצְאֹתָ֔יו NAS: it on the north to Hannathon, and it ended KJV: it on the north side to Hannathon: and the outgoings INT: the border the north to Hannathon become and the outgoings 1 Occurrence |
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