Joshua 15:34
Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam,
Zanoah
Zanoah is a town mentioned in the allotment of the tribe of Judah. The name "Zanoah" is derived from the Hebrew root "zanach," meaning "to reject" or "to cast off." This etymology may reflect a historical or spiritual significance, suggesting a place that was once rejected or cast off but later included in the inheritance of God's people. Archaeological evidence places Zanoah in the Shephelah region, a fertile area that served as a buffer zone between the coastal Philistine cities and the Judean highlands. This location highlights the strategic importance of Zanoah in the defense and agricultural prosperity of Judah.

En-gannim
En-gannim, meaning "spring of gardens" in Hebrew, suggests a place of lush vegetation and abundant water sources. The presence of a spring would have made En-gannim a vital location for sustaining life and agriculture in the region. This name evokes imagery of God's provision and the flourishing of His people in the Promised Land. The mention of gardens also brings to mind the biblical theme of restoration and blessing, as gardens are often symbolic of paradise and divine favor.

Tappuah
The name Tappuah means "apple" or "fruit" in Hebrew, indicating a place known for its fruitfulness. This town's inclusion in the territory of Judah underscores the richness and productivity of the land God promised to His people. The imagery of fruitfulness is a recurring biblical motif, symbolizing spiritual growth, prosperity, and the blessings that come from living in accordance with God's will. Tappuah serves as a reminder of the abundant life that God desires for His followers.

Enam
Enam, though less frequently mentioned in biblical texts, is part of the inheritance of Judah. The name Enam may be related to the Hebrew word "ayin," meaning "eye" or "spring," suggesting a place with a water source or a lookout point. This connection to water and vision can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual insight and refreshment. Enam's inclusion in the list of towns highlights the completeness of God's provision for His people, ensuring that every need is met within their allotted inheritance.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Zanoah
A town in the lowland region of Judah. It is mentioned in the context of the territorial allotments given to the tribe of Judah. The name "Zanoah" may derive from a root meaning "to reject" or "to be rejected," which could reflect historical or cultural aspects of the area.

2. En-gannim
Meaning "fountain of gardens," this town is also part of the inheritance of Judah. The name suggests a place of fertility and life, possibly indicating a location with abundant water sources.

3. Tappuah
This name means "apple" or "fruit," and it is another town within Judah's territory. The name could symbolize fruitfulness and prosperity, which are common themes in biblical descriptions of the Promised Land.

4. Enam
A lesser-known town in Judah's allotment. The name is not as frequently mentioned in other biblical texts, but its inclusion highlights the detailed nature of the territorial divisions.
Teaching Points
God's Faithfulness in Fulfillment of Promises
The detailed listing of towns in Judah's inheritance underscores God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to the patriarchs. Believers can trust in God's promises for their lives, knowing He is faithful to fulfill them.

Significance of Names and Places
The meanings of the town names (e.g., En-gannim as "fountain of gardens") can provide spiritual insights. Just as these places were significant for the Israelites, God places us in specific locations for His purposes.

The Importance of Heritage and Legacy
The inheritance of land was crucial for the identity and legacy of the tribes of Israel. Similarly, Christians are called to consider their spiritual heritage and the legacy they leave for future generations.

Community and Belonging
The allocation of towns to the tribe of Judah highlights the importance of community and belonging. In the body of Christ, each believer has a place and role, contributing to the overall mission of the Church.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the detailed listing of towns in Joshua 15:34 reflect God's faithfulness to His promises? Consider other biblical promises that God has fulfilled.

2. What can we learn from the meanings of the town names like En-gannim and Tappuah about God's provision and blessings in our lives?

3. How does the concept of inheritance in Joshua relate to our spiritual inheritance in Christ? Refer to New Testament passages that discuss spiritual inheritance.

4. In what ways can understanding our spiritual heritage impact our daily walk with God and our interactions with others?

5. How can we ensure that we are fulfilling our role within our Christian community, much like the towns fulfilled their roles within the tribe of Judah? Consider practical steps and biblical examples.
Connections to Other Scriptures
Joshua 15:20-63
This passage provides the broader context of the territorial allotments for the tribe of Judah, listing numerous towns and regions. It emphasizes the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham regarding the land.

Nehemiah 3:13
Zanoah is mentioned again in the context of the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls, indicating its continued significance in the post-exilic period.

Genesis 12:7
The promise of land to Abraham is foundational to understanding the significance of these territorial allotments in Joshua.
The Upper and Nether Springs
People
Achsah, Addar, Ahiman, Anak, Anakites, Arba, Ben, Bohan, Cain, Caleb, Dagon, Debir, Dumah, Eder, Eglon, Ephron, Gad, Gedor, Hezron, Hoglah, Jebusites, Jephunneh, Jezreel, Joshua, Kenaz, Maon, Naamah, Othniel, Pelet, Reuben, Seir, Shamir, Shema, Sheshai, Shual, Talmai, Tappuah, Telem, Timnah, Zur
Places
Achzib, Adadah, Addar, Adullam, Adummim, Ain, Akrabbim, Amam, Anab, Anim, Aphekah, Arab, Ashan, Ashdod, Ashnah, Azekah, Baalah, Bealoth, Beersheba, Beth-anoth, Beth-arabah, Beth-dagan, Beth-hoglah, Beth-pelet, Beth-shemesh, Beth-tappuah, Beth-zur, Biziothiah, Bozkath, Brook of Egypt, Cabbon, Carmel, Chesalon, Chesil, Chitlish, City of Salt, Dannah, Debir, Dilean, Dimonah, Dumah, Eder, Edom, Eglon, Ekron, Eltekon, Eltolad, Enam, En-gannim, Engedi, En-rogel, En-shemesh, Eshan, Eshtaol, Eshtemoh, Ether, Ezem, Gaza, Gederah, Gederoth, Gederothaim, Gedor, Gibeah, Gilgal, Giloh, Great Sea, Hadashah, Halhul, Hazar-gaddah, Hazar-shual, Hazor, Hazor-hadattah, Hebron, Heshmon, Hezron, Holon, Hormah, Humtah, Iim, Iphtah, Ithnan, Jabneel, Jagur, Janim, Jarmuth, Jattir, Jebus, Jerusalem, Jokdeam, Joktheel, Jordan River, Juttah, Kabzeel, Kadesh-barnea, Kain, Keilah, Kerioth-hezron, Kinah, Kiriath-arba, Kiriath-baal, Kiriath-jearim, Kiriath-sannah, Kiriath-sepher, Lachish, Lahmam, Lebaoth, Libnah, Maarath, Madmannah, Makkedah, Maon, Mareshah, Middin, Migdal-gad, Mizpeh, Moladah, Mount Baalah, Mount Ephron, Mount Jearim, Mount Seir, Negeb, Nephtoah, Nezib, Nibshan, Rabbah, Rimmon, Salt Sea, Sansannah, Secacah, Shaaraim, Shamir, Shema, Shikkeron, Shilhim, Socoh, Tappuah, Telem, Timnah, Valley of Achor, Valley of Hinnom, Valley of Rephaim, Zanoah, Zenan, Ziklag, Zin, Zior, Ziph, Zorah
Topics
En, Enam, Engannim, En-gannim, En-gan'nim, Gannim, Tappuah, Tap'puah, Zanoah, Zano'ah
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Joshua 15:1-63

     5235   boundary
     7266   tribes of Israel

Library
The Sea of Sodom
The bounds of Judea, on both sides, are the sea; the western bound is the Mediterranean,--the eastern, the Dead sea, or the sea of Sodom. This the Jewish writers every where call, which you may not so properly interpret here, "the salt sea," as "the bituminous sea." In which sense word for word, "Sodom's salt," but properly "Sodom's bitumen," doth very frequently occur among them. The use of it was in the holy incense. They mingled 'bitumen,' 'the amber of Jordan,' and [an herb known to few], with
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire from 745 to 722 B. C.
TIGLATH-PILESER III. AND THE ORGANISATION OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE FROM 745 to 722 B.C. FAILURE OF URARTU AND RE-CONQUEST Of SYRIA--EGYPT AGAIN UNITED UNDER ETHIOPIAN AUSPICES--PIONKHI--THE DOWNFALL OF DAMASCUS, OF BABYLON, AND OF ISRAEL. Assyria and its neighbours at the accession of Tiglath-pileser III.: progress of the Aramaeans in the basin of the Middle Tigris--Urartu and its expansion into the north of Syria--Damascus and Israel--Vengeance of Israel on Damascus--Jeroboam II.--Civilisation
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7

John the Baptist --visit of Jesus to John, and his Abode in the Desert of Judea --Adoption of the Baptism of John.
An extraordinary man, whose position, from the absence of documentary evidence, remains to us in some degree enigmatical, appeared about this time, and was unquestionably to some extent connected with Jesus. This connection tended rather to make the young prophet of Nazareth deviate from his path; but it suggested many important accessories to his religious institution, and, at all events, furnished a very strong authority to his disciples in recommending their Master in the eyes of a certain class
Ernest Renan—The Life of Jesus

Divers Matters.
I. Beth-cerem, Nehemiah 3:14. "The stones, as well of the altar, as of the ascent to the altar, were from the valley of Beth-cerem, which they digged out beneath the barren land. And thence they are wont to bring whole stones, upon which the working iron came not." The fathers of the traditions, treating concerning the blood of women's terms, reckon up five colours of it; among which that, "which is like the water of the earth, out of the valley of Beth-cerem."--Where the Gloss writes thus, "Beth-cerem
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Epistle xxvi. To Theoctista, Patrician
To Theoctista, Patrician [1704] Gregory to Theoctista, &c. That your Excellency, though placed in so great a tumult of affairs, is full of the fruitfulness of the sacred word, and incessantly pants after eternal joys, for this I give great thanks to Almighty God, in that in you I see fulfilled what is written of the elect fathers, But the children of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea (Exod. xv. 19). But on the other hand, I am come into the depth of the sea, and the storm hath
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Emmaus. Kiriath-Jearim.
"From Beth-horon to Emmaus it was hilly."--It was sixty furlongs distant from Jerusalem.--"To eight hundred only, dismissed the army, (Vespasian) gave a place, called Ammaus, for them to inhabit: it is sixty furlongs distant from Jerusalem." I inquire, whether this word hath the same etymology with Emmaus near Tiberias, which, from the 'warm baths,' was called Chammath. The Jews certainly do write this otherwise... "The family (say they) of Beth-Pegarim, and Beth Zipperia was out of Emmaus."--The
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

The Coast of the Asphaltites, the Essenes. En-Gedi.
"On the western shore" (of the Asphaltites) "dwell the Essenes; whom persons, guilty of any crimes, fly from on every side. A nation it is that lives alone, and of all other nations in the whole world, most to be admired; they are without any woman; all lust banished, &c. Below these, was the town Engadda, the next to Jerusalem for fruitfulness, and groves of palm-trees, now another burying-place. From thence stands Massada, a castle in a rock, and this castle not far from the Asphaltites." Solinus,
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands of Judah
"And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall come forth unto Me (one) [Pg 480] to be Ruler in Israel; and His goings forth are the times of old, the days of eternity." The close connection of this verse with what immediately precedes (Caspari is wrong in considering iv. 9-14 as an episode) is evident, not only from the [Hebrew: v] copulative, and from the analogy of the near relation of the announcement of salvation to the prophecy of disaster
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Moses and his Writings
[Illustration: (drop cap W) Clay letter tablet of Moses' time.] We now begin to understand a little of the very beginning of God's Book--of the times in which it was written, the materials used by its first author, and the different kinds of writing from which he had to choose; but we must go a step farther. How much did Moses know about the history of his forefathers, Abraham and Jacob, and of all the old nations and kings mentioned in Genesis, before God called him to the great work of writing
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
The Medes and Cimmerians: Lydia--The conquest of Egypt, of Arabia, and of Elam. As we have already seen, Sennacherib reigned for eight years after his triumph; eight years of tranquillity at home, and of peace with all his neighbours abroad. If we examine the contemporary monuments or the documents of a later period, and attempt to glean from them some details concerning the close of his career, we find that there is a complete absence of any record of national movement on the part of either Elam,
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8

Some Helps to Mourning
Having removed the obstructions, let me in the last place propound some helps to holy mourning. 1 Set David's prospect continually before you. My sin is ever before me' (Psalm 51:3). David, that he might be a mourner, kept his eye full upon sin. See what sin is, and then tell me if there be not enough in it to draw forth tears. I know not what name to give it bad enough. One calls it the devil's excrement. Sin is a complication of all evils. It is the spirits of mischief distilled. Sin dishonours
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Sennacherib (705-681 B. C. )
The struggle of Sennacherib with Judaea and Egypt--Destruction of Babylon. Sennacherib either failed to inherit his father's good fortune, or lacked his ability.* He was not deficient in military genius, nor in the energy necessary to withstand the various enemies who rose against him at widely removed points of his frontier, but he had neither the adaptability of character nor the delicate tact required to manage successfully the heterogeneous elements combined under his sway. * The two principal
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8

Kadesh. Rekam, and that Double. Inquiry is Made, Whether the Doubling it in the Maps is Well Done.
The readers of the eastern interpreters will observe, that Kadesh is rendered by all Rekam, or in a sound very near it. In the Chaldee, it is 'Rekam': in the Syriac, 'Rekem': in the Arabic, 'Rakim'... There are two places noted by the name Rekam in the very bounds of the land,--to wit, the southern and eastern: that is, a double Kadesh. I. Of Kadesh, or Rekam, in the south part, there is no doubt. II. Of it, in the eastern part, there is this mention: "From Rekam to the east, and Rekam is as the
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Joshua
The book of Joshua is the natural complement of the Pentateuch. Moses is dead, but the people are on the verge of the promised land, and the story of early Israel would be incomplete, did it not record the conquest of that land and her establishment upon it. The divine purpose moves restlessly on, until it is accomplished; so "after the death of Moses, Jehovah spake to Joshua," i. 1. The book falls naturally into three divisions: (a) the conquest of Canaan (i.-xii.), (b) the settlement of the
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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