Jeshanah
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Topical Encyclopedia
Etymology and Meaning:
The name "Jeshanah" is derived from the Hebrew root "yashan," meaning "old" or "ancient." It is often interpreted as "old town" or "ancient place."

Biblical References:
Jeshanah is mentioned in the context of the reign of King Asa of Judah. The primary reference to Jeshanah is found in 2 Chronicles 13:19: "And Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured some cities from him: Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, with their surrounding villages" . This passage highlights Jeshanah as one of the cities captured by King Abijah of Judah during his conflict with Jeroboam, the king of Israel.

Historical and Geographical Context:
Jeshanah is identified as a fortified city in the hill country of Ephraim, which was part of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Its capture by Abijah signifies a strategic victory for the Southern Kingdom of Judah, as it was located near the border between the two kingdoms. The mention of Jeshanah alongside Bethel and Ephron suggests its importance in the regional power dynamics of the time.

Archaeological Insights:
While specific archaeological evidence directly identifying Jeshanah is limited, the region where it is believed to have been located has yielded findings that provide insight into the period's settlement patterns and fortifications. The identification of ancient sites in the hill country of Ephraim continues to be a subject of scholarly research, with some proposing that Jeshanah may correspond to a site with significant Iron Age remains.

Theological Significance:
The capture of Jeshanah by Abijah is part of a larger narrative demonstrating God's favor towards the Davidic line and the kingdom of Judah. The victory over Jeroboam is seen as a divine endorsement of Abijah's reign, despite his own shortcomings. This event underscores the theme of God's sovereignty and the fulfillment of His promises to David's descendants.

Cultural and Religious Impact:
Jeshanah, as part of the biblical narrative, contributes to the understanding of the divided monarchy period in Israel's history. It reflects the ongoing conflict and tension between the Northern and Southern Kingdoms, which had both political and religious implications. The capture of cities like Jeshanah by Judah is indicative of the shifting power dynamics and the efforts to maintain religious and cultural identity amidst division.

Modern Relevance:
For contemporary readers and scholars, Jeshanah serves as a reminder of the historical realities faced by the ancient Israelites. It invites reflection on the themes of faithfulness, divine intervention, and the complexities of leadership and governance in biblical history. Jeshanah's mention in Scripture, though brief, contributes to the rich tapestry of Israel's past and God's unfolding plan for His people.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Jeshanah

(old), a town which, with its dependent villages, was one of the three taken from Jeroboam by Abijah. (2 Chronicles 13:19)

Easton's Bible Dictionary
A city of the kingdom of Israel (2 Chronicles 13:19).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
JESHANAH

jesh'-a-na, je-sha'-na (yeshanah): A town named with Bethel and Ephron among the places taken by Abijah from Jeroboam (2 Chronicles 13:19). Most scholars are agreed that the same name should be read instead of ha-shen, in 1 Samuel 7:12. It is probably identical with the Isanas, of Josephus (Ant., XIV, xv, 12). It is represented by the modern `Ain Sinia, 3 1/4 miles North of Bethel, with a spring and interesting ancient remains.

Strong's Hebrew
3466. Yeshanah -- a city near Bethel
... Yeshanah. 3467 . a city near Bethel. Transliteration: Yeshanah Phonetic Spelling:
(yesh-aw-naw') Short Definition: Jeshanah. Word Origin fem. ... Jeshanah. ...
/hebrew/3466.htm - 6k
Library

Some Places Bordering Upon Tsippor. Jeshanah. Ketsarah. Shihin.
... Jeshanah. Ketsarah. Shihin. ... So that this 'Jeshanah' seems to be so near to
Tsippor, that the records of Tsippor were laid up there. II. ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 83 some places bordering.htm

From the Talmud and Hebraica
... The Jerusalem Talmud was written there: and when. Chapter 82 Tsippor. Chapter 83
Some places bordering upon Tsippor. Jeshanah. Ketsarah. Shihin. Chapter 84 Usha ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/

Concerning the Death of a Son of Jeroboam. How Jeroboam was Beaten ...
... enemies, and they took their strongest cities by force, and spoiled them; and besides
those, they did the same to Bethel and her towns, and Jeshanah and her ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 11 concerning the death.htm

Thesaurus
Jeshanah (3 Occurrences)
... A city of the kingdom of Israel (2 Chronicles 13:19). Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
JESHANAH. ... Multi-Version Concordance Jeshanah (3 Occurrences). ...
/j/jeshanah.htm - 8k

Jesha'nah (2 Occurrences)
Jesha'nah. Jeshanah, Jesha'nah. Jesharelah . Multi-Version Concordance
Jesha'nah (2 Occurrences). ... (See RSV). Jeshanah, Jesha'nah. Jesharelah . Reference ...
/j/jesha'nah.htm - 7k

Ephron (13 Occurrences)
... ephron; Ephron): (1) 2 Chronicles 13:19: "And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and
took cities from him, Beth-el with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the ...
/e/ephron.htm - 13k

Jeshai'ah (7 Occurrences)
Jeshai'ah. Jeshaiah, Jeshai'ah. Jeshanah . Multi-Version Concordance
Jeshai'ah (7 Occurrences). ... (See RSV). Jeshaiah, Jeshai'ah. Jeshanah . Reference
/j/jeshai'ah.htm - 8k

Naming (21 Occurrences)
... (BBE). 1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone and put it up between Mizpah and Jeshanah,
naming it Eben-ezer, and saying, Up to now the Lord has been our help. ...
/n/naming.htm - 12k

Ephrain (1 Occurrence)
... 2 Chronicles 13:19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him,
Beth-el with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephron ...
/e/ephrain.htm - 7k

Pursueth (28 Occurrences)
... 2 Chronicles 13:19 And Abijah pursueth after Jeroboam, and captureth from him cities,
Beth-El and its small towns, and Jeshanah and its small towns, and ...
/p/pursueth.htm - 14k

Bethbasi
... Josephus reads Bethalaga, ie Beth-hoglah (Ant., XIII, i, 5). Peshitta version reads
Beth-Yashan (see JESHANAH), which Dr. Cheyne thinks is probably correct. ...
/b/bethbasi.htm - 7k

Captureth (24 Occurrences)
... (YLT). 2 Chronicles 13:19 And Abijah pursueth after Jeroboam, and captureth from
him cities, Beth-El and its small towns, and Jeshanah and its small towns, and ...
/c/captureth.htm - 13k

Abi'jah (26 Occurrences)
... 2 Chronicles 13:19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him,
Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain ...
/a/abi'jah.htm - 12k

Resources
What was/is the importance of the gates of Jerusalem? | GotQuestions.org

Who was King Abijah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Jeshanah (3 Occurrences)

1 Samuel 7:12
Then Samuel took a stone and put it up between Mizpah and Jeshanah, naming it Eben-ezer, and saying, Up to now the Lord has been our help.
(BBE)

2 Chronicles 13:19
Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with its towns, and Jeshanah with its towns, and Ephron with its towns.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Nehemiah 12:39
and above the gate of Ephraim, and by the old gate, and by the fish gate, and the tower of Hananel, and the tower of Hammeah, even to the sheep gate: and they stood still in the gate of the guard.
(See NIV)

Subtopics

Jeshanah

Jeshanah: A City on the North Side of Benjamin

Related Terms

Jeshanah (3 Occurrences)

Jesharelah (1 Occurrence)

Jeshai'ah
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