Dictionaries :: Timnath-Serah

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Timnath-Serah:

remaining portion, the city of Joshua in the hill country of Ephraim, the same as Timnath-heres (Jos 19:50; 24:30). "Of all sites I have seen," says Lieut. Col. Conder, "none is so striking as that of Joshua's home, surrounded as it is with deep valleys and wild, rugged hills." Opposite the town is a hill, on the northern side of which there are many excavated sepulchres. Among these is the supposed tomb of Joshua, which is said to be "the most striking monument in the country." It is a "square chamber with five excavations in three of its sides, the central one forming a passage leading into a second chamber beyond. A great number of lamp-niches cover the walls of the porch, upwards of two hundred, arranged in vertical rows. A single cavity with a niche for a lamp has been thought to be the resting-place of the warrior-chief of Israel." The modern Kefr Haris, 10 miles south-west of Shechem.

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Timnath-Serah:

tim-nath-se'-ra (timnath cerach; Codex Vaticanus Thamarchdres; Codex Alexandrinus Thamathsara): This place, assigned as an inheritance to Joshua, is described as being in Mt. Ephraim, on the north side of the mountain of Gaash (Jos 19:50; 24:30). Here, when his work was done, the great leader was laid to rest. The mountain of Gaash unfortunately cannot be identified. Josephus says that Joshua was buried at Thamna, a city of Ephraim (Ant., V, i, 29), which probably corresponds to Thamna, the head of a Jewish toparchy (BJ, III, iii, 5). Vespasian marched from Thamnatha to Lydda, which apparently was near (IV, viii, 1). The place was taken and reduced to slavery by Cassius (Ant., XIV, xi, 2). It was put in charge of John the Essene at the beginning of the Jewish war (BJ, II, xx, 4). Eusebius, Onomasticon (s.v. "Thamna" and "Thamnathsara") identifies it with "Timnath" of Ge 38:12 the King James Version, placing it in the mountain in the tribe of Da (or Judah), on the way from Diospolis (Lydda) to Jerusalem. The tomb of Joshua was still shown there. This points to Tibneh, in the uplands 12 miles Northeast of Lydda. South of the village, in the face of a rock, are a series of rock-hewn tombs, the largest of which, containing 14 loculi, and a small chamber behind with one loculus, may be that associated with Joshua by Eusebius, Onomasticon. A giant oak grows hard by perhaps the greatest tree in Palestine. Kefr Ishu‘a, "village of Joshua," lies about 3 miles to the East. This identification is now generally accepted.

The Samaritan tradition points to the tomb of Joshua at Kefr Charis, 9 miles South of Nablus. Outside the village to the East are two shrines. One is called Neby Kifl, the other, Neby Kala‘a. The former, "prophet of division," or "of the portion," might apply to Joshua; the latter is identified with Caleb. This identification assumes that the first element of the name has fallen out, the second only surviving.

Written by W. Ewing

Nave's Topical Bible

Timnath-Serah: Definition Of and Name Of

A city, called also Timnath-Heres

Timnath-Serah: Given to Joshua

Jos 19:50

Timnath-Serah: Joshua Buried In

Jos 24:30; Jdg 2:9