Timnath-Serah

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

TIMNATH-SERAH . The city in Mount Ephraim given to Joshua ( Joshua 19:50 ), where he was buried ( Joshua 24:30 ), lying on the N. of the Mountain of Gaash ( Judges 2:9 Timnath-heres ). Josephus calls the burial-place of Joshua Thamna , and this probably corresponds to Timnath of 1Ma 9:50 , although there it is reckoned to Judæa. It was head of a Jewish toparchy, and is named with Lydda and Emmaus ( BJ III. iii. 5, etc.). The Onomasticon identifies it with Tibneh , where there are remains of an important place, with a spring and ancient tombs, on the Roman road from Cæsarea to Jerusalem, about 14 miles N.E. of Ludd (Lydda). The tombs are on the S. of the road. One, distinguished by size and workmanship, may be that pointed out as Joshua’s in the time of Eusebius and Jerome. The Samaritans place the burial of Joshua at Kefr Hâris , a village some 10 miles S. of Nâblus, with two sanctuaries to the E., one of which, Neby Kift (‘the prophet of the portion or lot’), may be identified with Joshua. In this case, only the second element in the name has survived. Heres , it will be observed, simply reverses the order of the letters in Serah .

W. Ewing.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Tim'nath-se'rah . (portion of abundance). The name of the city, which was presented to Joshua, after the partition of the country, Joshua 19:50, and in "the border" of which, he was buried. Joshua 24:30. It is specified as "in Mount Ephraim on the north side of Mount Gaash." In Judges 2:9 the name is altered to Timnath-heres.

The latter form is that adopted, by the Jewish writers. Accordingly, they identify the place with Kefar-cheres, which is said by Jewish travellers to be about five miles south of Shechem, (Nablus). No place with that name appears on the maps. Another identification has, however been suggested by Dr. Eli Smith. In his journey from Jifna to Mejdel-Yaba, about six miles from the former , he discovered the ruins of a considerable town. Opposite the town was a much higher hill, in the north side of which are several excavated sepulchres. The whole bears the name of Tibneh.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Timnath-serah (tĭm'nath-sç'rah), portion of abundance. A town in the mountains of Ephraim, which was assigned to Joshua; and in which he was buried. Joshua 19:49-50; Joshua 24:30. It is also written "Timnath-heres"=portion of the sun. Judges 2:9

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Or Timnath-Heres, Judges 2:9 , a town in Ephraim, which yielded to Joshua a home, an income, and a burial-place, Joshua 19:50; 24:30 . The site the Jewish leader is supposed to have chosen, now called Tibneh, lies in a rough and mountainous region on the road from Gophna to Antipatris.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Joshua 19:5024:30

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tim - nath - sē´ra ( סרח תּמנת , timnath ṣeraḥ  ; Codex Vaticanus Θαμαρχάρης , Thamarchárēs  ; Codex Alexandrinus Θαμαθσαρά , Thamathsará ): This place, assigned as an inheritance to Joshua, is described as being in Mt. Ephraim, on the north side of the mountain of Gaash ( Joshua 19:50; Joshua 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 Genesis 38:12 the King James Version, placing it in the mountain in the tribe of Dan (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 Ishū‛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 Ḥāris , 9 miles South of Nāblus . 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.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Tim´nath-Se´rah (portion of abundance, i.e. remaining portion), a town in the mountains of Ephraim, which was assigned to Joshua, and became the place of his residence and burial . In , it is called Timnath-heres (portion of the sun); but the former is probably the correct reading, since a possession thus given to Joshua after the rest of the land was distributed , would strictly be a portion remaining. This was probably the same with the Timnah of Josephus, the head of a toparchy lying between those of Gophna and Lydda; which seems to be recognized in a place called Tibneh, lying north-west of Gophna on the Roman road to Antipatris.