Lexical Summary En Shemesh: En Shemesh Original Word: עֵין שֶׁמֶשׁ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance En-shemesh From ayin and shemesh; fountain of the sun; En-Shemesh, a place in Palestine -- En-shemesh. see HEBREW ayin see HEBREW shemesh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ayin and shemesh Definition "spring of (the) sun," a place on the border between Judah and Benjamin NASB Translation En-shemesh (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs עֵין שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ proper name, of a location on border between Judah Joshua 15:7 (πηγῆς ἡλίου) and Benjamin Joshua 18:17 (πηγὴν βαιθσαμυς, ᵐ5L [πη]γὴν Σαμες); conjectures in BuhlGeogr. 98. Topical Lexicon MeaningEn Shemesh means “Spring of the Sun,” a title that joins two of Scripture’s most common symbols of life and blessing—water and light. A perennial spring on the eastern slope of the Judaean hill country, it supplied travelers and shepherds moving between the highlands and the Jordan Valley. Biblical Occurrences • Joshua 15:7 – Marks a segment of the southern border of Judah In both passages En Shemesh appears amid a list of natural waypoints anchoring the tribal inheritances promised to Abraham’s seed (Genesis 15:18-21). The writer treats the spring not as an incidental landmark but as a legal witness to the covenant allotment. Geographical Setting En Shemesh lies on the descent from the Ridge Route toward the Arabah, between the Valley of Achor and En Rogel. The watershed separates the Kidron on the west from the Wadi Qelt on the east, an area that saw continuous traffic from Jericho to Jerusalem. Many scholars locate it at modern ʿAin el-Hôd (also called ʿAin el-Haṭṭ), roughly two kilometers east of Bethany, though some favor ʿAin el-Auja farther north. Either site places the spring within eyesight of sunrise over the Jordan plain, naturally justifying its name. Historical Significance 1. Boundary Marker By fixing Judah’s and Benjamin’s lines, En Shemesh functioned like a notarized seal on the tribal deed. Boundaries protected heritage (Proverbs 22:28) and prevented intertribal strife (compare Joshua 22). That God placed a reliable water source on the border underscored His intention that inheritance and provision go hand in hand. 2. Corridor of Pilgrimage and Commerce The route embracing En Shemesh later became the road taken by priests, Levites, and pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem’s feasts. Its presence on that path provided refreshment both physically and, by association, spiritually (Psalms 84:5-7). 3. Strategic Value Control of water in the semi-arid hill country translated into military leverage. Holding En Shemesh meant policing traffic between the Jordan Rift and the capital and may explain why Judah and Benjamin—a royal and temple tribe respectively—shared interest in it. Theological Reflection “ ‘For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.’ ” (Psalms 36:9) The psalmist unites fountain and light, the very ideas that converge in En Shemesh’s name, hinting at deeper theology. • Water speaks of cleansing and renewal (Isaiah 55:1; John 7:37-38). By situating “Spring” and “Sun” on a boundary, God paints a picture of the gospel: life and illumination flow from Him to delineate His people and invite outsiders in (Isaiah 60:1-3). Ministry Applications • Boundary Integrity—Believers must guard doctrinal and moral borders without withholding the water of life. Archaeological and Scholarly Insight Pottery scatter and architectural fragments at ʿAin el-Hôd date mainly to Iron II and Persian periods, aligning with post-exilic reuse of boundary sites. The spring still yields clear water at roughly 19 liters per minute during the dry season, testifying to its ancient reliability. Topographical studies confirm that sunrise strikes the watercourse first, lending experiential validation to the biblical name. Cross-Scriptural Themes • “Sun of righteousness” (Malachi 4:2) and “living water” (John 4:10) converge in Jesus Christ. En Shemesh thus stands as more than a point on a map; it is a perpetual reminder that the Lord draws lines not to exclude but to secure His people in light and life. Forms and Transliterations שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ שמש še·meš šemeš ShemeshLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 15:7 HEB: מֵי־ עֵ֣ין שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ וְהָי֥וּ תֹצְאֹתָ֖יו NAS: to the waters of En-shemesh and it ended KJV: toward the waters of Enshemesh, and the goings out INT: toward to the waters of En-shemesh and the goings out Joshua 18:17 2 Occurrences |
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