Difference between revisions of "Dothan"

<p> DOTHAN or DOTHAIN. ("two wells".) At it [[Joseph]] was put into a well pit (from whence it derived its name) become dry, and afterward sold to [[Ishmaelite]] merchants who traveled that route between [[Syria]] and [[Egypt]] (Genesis 37:17); near Shechem. Elisha's place of sojourn, when the [[Syrian]] king invested the city with horses and chariots, to Gehazi's dismay; but "the mountain" whereon it stood he saw, when the Lord opened his eyes, to be "full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha" (2 Kings 6:13-18). Situated in the center of the country near the S. edge of the [[Esdraelon]] plain, from which hills extending from [[Carmel]] range separate it. The ruins on a large tell or mound mark the place, Dotan; beneath the S. side is a spring. [[Close]] by is an ancient road with massive pavement running N. and S. To this day there are numerous cisterns hewn in the rock, and bottle shaped with hallow mouth, such as egress, would be impossible from without help. Into such a pit doubtless Joseph was cast here. </p>

[[Genesis]] 37:172 Kings 6:13Isaiah 5 <p> In 1953, excavations were begun by [[Joseph]] E. [[Free]] under the sponsorship of Wheaton College. Excavations of tell Dotha, an isolated mound, determined that there was occupation of the site from the end of the Chalcolithic [[Age]] through the [[Hellenistic]] [[Roman]] Period (3200 B.C. through A.D. 300-400) with a break from 700 to 330. It became a walled city about 3000 B.C. The importance of [[Dothan]] was its placement upon the roads in the hill country of [[Ephraim]] and the resulting commercial trade. It controlled all traffic going between the hills and the [[Jezreel]] Valley. </p> <p> [[David]] M. Fleming </p>

<p> <strong> DOTHAN </strong> ( [[Genesis]] 37:17 , 2 Kings 6:13-18; <strong> Dotæa </strong> , Jdt 3:9; <strong> [[Dothaim]] </strong> , Jdt 4:6 etc.). To-day, <em> [[Tell]] [[Dothan]] </em> , a remarkable isolated hill at the S.E. corner of a great plain <em> Sahl ’Arrâbeh </em> ; surrounded on three sides by hills ( 2 Kings 6:17 ). [[Clearly]] a place suitable for defence, it must have been of importance when the neighbouring high-road, still much used, was a main thoroughfare from [[Damascus]] to Egypt. The situation is, too, a choice one on account of its abundant fountain, now used to work a mill and irrigate fruit gardens; two ancient wells and a number of empty cisterns ( Genesis 37:24 ) are also found near the foot of the <em> tell </em> . [[Great]] herds of cattle, sheep, and goats from the neighbouring abundant pastures, may always be found gathered there in the afternoon drinking from the water and browsing in the shade. Although there are no ancient remains on the surface, traces of walls may be seen all around the hill top. </p> <p> E. W. G. Masterman. </p>

<p> City of Manasseh, west of the Jordan. [[Genesis]] 37:17; 2 Kings 6:13 . Identified with <i> [[Tell]] Dothan, </i> 32 25' N, 35 14' E . </p>

<p> [[Dothan]] (dô'than), two cisterns. Where [[Joseph]] found his brethren, [[Genesis]] 37:17, and [[Elisha]] resided. 2 Kings 6:13. It was on the south side of the plain of Jezreel, 12 miles north of Samaria; now called Tel-Dothân, five miles southwest of Jenin. Numerous bottled-shaped cisterns hewn in the rock are still found, which are supposed to resemble the "pit" of Genesis 37:24. Caravans still pass this place, as of old, on their way from [[Damascus]] to Egypt. </p>