Difference between revisions of "Taanach"

<p> [[Taanach]] ( ''Tâ'A-N'' ''Ăk'' ), ''Sandy Soil.'' A royal Canaanitish city in Issachar, but assigned to Manasseh, &nbsp;Joshua 12:21; &nbsp;Joshua 17:11; &nbsp;Judges 1:27; &nbsp;Judges 5:19; &nbsp;1 Kings 4:12, also written "Tanach." &nbsp;Joshua 21:25, A. V. This city is perhaps the same as "Aner." &nbsp;1 Chronicles 6:70. It is now called Taanuk, with ruins about four miles southeast or Megiddo, on the western side of the plain of Esdraelon. </p>

<p> (Heb. Taanak', '''''תִּעֲנָךְ''''' , ''Sandy'' [Gesenius], or ''Fortified'' [F '''''Ü''''' rst]; twice [&nbsp;Judges 21:25; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 7:29] more briefly ''Tanak', '''''תִּעְנָךְ''''' '' , A.V. "Tanach;" Sept. '''''Θανάχ''''' or '''''Θαανάχ''''' v.r. '''''Τανάχ''''' , '''''Σανάκ''''' , etc.), an ancient Canaanitish city, whose king is enumerated among the thirty-one conquered by Joshua (&nbsp;Joshua 12:21). It came into the hands of the half- tribe of Manasseh (&nbsp;Joshua 17:11; &nbsp;Joshua 21:25; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 7:29), though it would appear to have lain within the original allotment of Issachar (&nbsp;Joshua 17:11). It was bestowed on the Kohathite Levites (&nbsp;Joshua 21:25). Taanach was one of the places in which, either from some strength of position, or from the ground near it being favorable for their mode of fighting, the aborigines succeeded in making a stand (&nbsp;Joshua 17:12; &nbsp;Judges 1:27); and in the great struggle of the Canaanites under Sisera against Deborah and Barak it appears to have formed the headquarters of their army (&nbsp;Judges 5:19). After this defeat the Canaanites of Taainach were probably made, like the rest, to pay a tribute (&nbsp;Joshua 17:13; &nbsp;Judges 1:28), but in the town they appear to have remained to the last. Taanach is almost always named in company with Megiddo, and they were evidently the chief towns of that fine, rich district which forms the western portion of the great plain of Esdraelon (&nbsp;1 Kings 4:12). </p> <p> It was known to Eusebius, who mentions it twice in ''The Onomasticon'' ( '''''Θαανάχ''''' and '''''Θαναή''''' ) as a "very large village" standing between three and four Roman miles from Legio, the ancient Megiddo. It was known to hap-Parchi, the Jewish medieval traveler, and it still stands about four miles south-east of Lejjum, retaining its old name with hardly the change of a letter. Schubert, followed by Robinson, found it in the modern ''Ta'Annuk,'' now a mean hamlet on the south-east side of a small hill, with a summit of table-land (Schubert, ''Morgenland,'' 3, 164; Robinson, ''Bibl. Res.'' 3, 156; ''Bibl. Sacra,'' 1843, p. 76; Schwarz, Palest. p. 149). The ancient town was planted on a large mound at the termination of a long spur or promontory, which runs out northward from the hills of Manasseh into the plain, and leaves a recess or bay, subordinate to the main plain on its north side, and between it and Lejjun (Van de Velde, 1, 358). Ruins of some extent, but possessing no interest; encompass it (Porter, Handbook, p. 371). The houses of the present village are mud huts, with one or two stone buildings (Ridgaway, The Lord's Land, p. 588). </p>

<p> ''''' tā´nak ''''' ( תּענך , <i> ''''' ta‛ănākh ''''' </i> , or תּענך , <i> ''''' ta‛nākh ''''' </i> ; the [[Septuagint]] Τανάχ , <i> ''''' Tanách ''''' </i> , with many variants): A royal city of the Canaanites, the king of which was slain by Joshua (&nbsp; Joshua 12:21 ). It was within the boundaries of the portion of Issachar, but was one of the cities reckoned to Manasseh (&nbsp;Joshua 17:11; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 7:29 ), and assigned to the Kohathite Levites (&nbsp;Joshua 21:25 ). The Canaanites were not driven out; only at a later time they were set to taskwork (&nbsp;Joshua 17:12 f; &nbsp; Judges 1:27 f). Here the great battle was fought when the defeat of Sisera broke the power of the oppressor [[Jabin]] (&nbsp; Judges 5:19 ). It was in the administrative district of [[Baana]] ben [[Ahilud]] (&nbsp;1 Kings 4:12 ). The name appears in the list of Thothmes Iii at Karnak; and [[Shishak]] records his plundering of Taanach when he invaded [[Palestine]] under [[Jeroboam]] I (compare &nbsp;1 Kings 14:25 f). [[Eusebius]] says in <i> Onomasticon </i> that it is a very large village, 3 miles from Legio. it is represented by the modern <i> ''''' Ta‛annek ''''' </i> , which stands on a hill at the southwestern edge of the plain of Esdraelon. Megiddo ( <i> ''''' Tell ''''' </i> <i> ''''' el ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' Mutesellim ''''' </i> ) lies 5 miles to the Northwest. These two places are almost invariably named together. The great highway for traffic, commercial and military, from [[Babylon]] and Egypt, ran between them. They were therefore of high strategic importance. Excavations were recently conducted on the site by Professor Sellin, and a series of valuable and deeply interesting discoveries were made, shedding light upon the social and religious life and practices of the inhabitants down to the 1st century BC, through a period of nearly 2,000 years. The Canaanites were the earliest occupants. In accordance with Biblical history, "there is no evidence of a break or abrupt change in the civilization between the Canaanite and the [[Israelite]] occupation of Taanach; the excavations [[Show]] rather gradual development. The Canaanites will have gradually assimilated the [[Israelites]] drawn to them from the villages in the plain" (Driver, <i> Schweich Lectures </i> , 1908, 84). In the work just cited Driver gives an admirable summary of the results obtained by Professor Sellin. In his book on the <i> [[Religion]] of [[Ancient]] Palestine </i> , Professor Stanley A. Cook has shown, in short compass, what excellent use may be made of the results thus furnished. </p>