Kedesh

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

1. A town in Judah's extreme S. ( Joshua 15:23). ("sanctuary".)

2. Of Issachar, assigned to the Gershonite Levites ( 1 Chronicles 6:72); Kishon in  Joshua 21:28 probably the better reading.

3. Kedesh Naphtali, or Kedesh in Galilee ( Joshua 19:37), a Levitical city of refuge assigned to the Gershonite Levites ( Joshua 20:7). Barak's birthplace ( Judges 4:6;  Judges 4:9-10), where he and Deborah assembled Zebulun and Naphtali as being a "holy" place, which Kedesh means. Kedesh Naphtali is now Kades at the western edge of Huleh, the marshy basin through which Jordan passes into the sea of Merom, from which Kedesh lies N.W. four miles distant. Its site is on a high ridge jutting out from the western hills, well watered, and environed by plains well cultivated and peopled. Conder (Palestine Exploration Quarterly Statement, January, 1877, p. 25) conjectures that the Kedesh to which Barak called Israel together is distinct from Kadesh (or Kedesh) Naphtali, Barak's native place.

For Kadesh Naphtali is 30 miles from Tabor, the scene of the battle, and separated by some of the most difficult country in Palestine. Probably Bezanaim was E. of Tabor, and answers to the modern Bessum. Harosheth of the Gentiles will thus be Harothiyeh. In this direction probably stood Kedesh, at the place now called Kadis, on the shore of the sea of Galilee. Taken by Tiglath Pileser ( 2 Kings 15:29). Tell Hara, standing out prominently to the S.E., is connected by Lieut. Kitchener with Harosheth the head quarters of Sisera (Palestine Exploration Quarterly Statement, October, 1877, p. 197).

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Joshua 15:23Kadesh-Barnea

2. A Canaanite town in eastern Galilee defeated by Joshua ( Joshua 12:22 ). The town was allotted to Naphtali ( Joshua 19:32 ,Joshua 19:32, 19:37 ) and was called Kedesh in Naphtali ( Judges 4:6 ). It was also called Kedesh in Galilee and given to the Gershonite Levites as one of their cities ( Joshua 20:7;  Joshua 21:32 ). See  Judges 4:6 ) and the place where Deborah and Barak gathered their forces for battle ( Judges 4:1-10 ). Heber the Kenite pitched his tent in the vicinity where Sisera met his death at the hands of Jael, Heber's wife ( Judges 4:21;  Judges 5:24-27 ). Kedesh in Naphtali was captured by Tiglath-pileser Iii during the reign of Pekah of Israel. The inhabitants were exiled to Assyria ( 2 Kings 15:29 ). Usually identified with modern khirbet Qedish, about two miles south of Tiberias.

3. A city in Issachar allotted to the Gershomite Levites ( 1 Chronicles 6:72 ). The town is also called Kishon ( Joshua 21:28 Kjv; Kishion in other versions). It has been suggested that “Kedesh in Issachar” may have arisen from a misreading of “Kishon” for “Kedesh.” The site is uncertain. Perhaps modern tell Abu Qudeis, about two miles southeast of Megiddo.

Phil Logan

Easton's Bible Dictionary

A "fenced city" of Naphtali, one of the cities of refuge ( Joshua 19:37;  Judges 4:6 ). It was assigned to the Gershonite Levites ( Joshua 21:32 ). It was originally a Canaanite royal city ( Joshua 12:22 ), and was the residence of Barak ( Judges 4:6 ); and here he and Deborah assembled the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali before the commencement of the conflict with Sisera in the plain of Esdraelon, "for Jehovah among the mighty" (9,10). In the reign of Pekah it was taken by Tiglath-Pileser ( 2 Kings 15:29 ). It was situated near the "plain" (rather "the oak") of Zaanaim, and has been identified with the modern Kedes, on the hills fully four miles north-west of Lake El Huleh.

It has been supposed by some that the Kedesh of the narrative, where Barak assembled his troops, was not the place in Upper Galilee so named, which was 30 miles distant from the plain of Esdraelon, but Kedish, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, 12 miles from Tabor.

Copyright Statement These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography Information Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Kedesh'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/k/kedesh.html. 1897.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Ke'desh. (a sanctuary).

1. In the extreme south of Judah,  Joshua 15:23. The same as Kadesh and Kadesh-barnea .

2. A city of Issachar, allotted to the Gershonite Levites.  1 Chronicles 6:72. The Kadesh mentioned among the cities whose kings were slain by Joshua,  Joshua 12:22, in company with Megiddo and Jokneam of Carmel, would seem to have been this city of Issachar.

3. Kedesh; also Kedesh in Galilee; and once,  Judges 4:6, Kedesh-naphtali, one of the fortified cities of the tribe of Naphtali, named between Hazor and Edrei,  Joshua 19:37, appointed as a city of refuge, and allotted with its "suburbs" to the Gershonite Levites.  Joshua 20:7;  Joshua 21:32;  1 Chronicles 6:76. It was the residence of Barak,  Judges 4:6, and there, he and Deborah assembled the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali before the conflict, being probably, as its name implies, a "holy place" of great antiquity. It was taken by Tiglath-pileser in the reign of Pekah.  2 Kings 15:29. It is identified with the village Kades , which lies four miles to the northwest of the upper part of the Sea of Merom.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Kedesh. (kç'desh ), sanctuary. 1. A town on the southern boundary of Judah,  Joshua 15:23; perhaps identical with Kadesh or Kadesh-barnea. 2. A city of Issachar; assigned to the Gershonite Levites.  1 Chronicles 6:72. In the parallel list,  Joshua 21:28, its name is Kishon. 3. A fortified city belonging to the tribe of Naphtali; allotted to the Gershonite Levites,  Joshua 20:7;  Joshua 21:32;  1 Chronicles 6:76, and made a city of refuge. It was the residence of Barak,  Judges 4:6, and here Deborah assembled the tribes of Zebulon and Naphtali.  Judges 4:11. It was taken by Tiglath-pileser in the reign of Pekah,  2 Kings 15:29, and here the battle took place between Jonathan Maccabæus and Demetrius.  1 Maccabees 11:63. Now it is a small village, Kades, ten miles north of Safed and four miles northwest of Merom, beautifully situated on a high ridge jutting out in the depressed basin through which the Jordan flows to the Sea of Merom. It is surrounded with ruins; numerous sarcophagi have been found here.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Kedesh . 1. A city in the south of Judah (  Joshua 15:23 ) whose site is uncertain. It is probably to be distinguished from Kadesh-barnea. 2 . A city in Issachar (  1 Chronicles 6:72 ), where, however, Kedesh is not improbably a textual error for Kishion of the parallel passage (  Joshua 21:28 ). 3 . See next article.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. City in the extreme south of Judah.  Joshua 15:23 . Supposed by some to refer to Kadesh-barnea.

2. Canaanite city, taken by Joshua, allotted to Issachar, and given to the Levites.  1 Chronicles 6:72 . Called Kishion in  Joshua 19:20 and Kishon in   Joshua 21:28 . Identified with Tell Abu Kudeis, 32 44' N, 35 33' E .

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. A city of refuge, in Naphtali; now Kedis, three miles northwest of lake Merom,  Joshua 19:37;  20:7 . Barak the judge of Israel was born there,  Judges 4:6

2. A city in the south of Judah,  Joshua 15:23 .

3. A city in Issachar,  1 Chronicles 6:72 .

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. id., קֶדֶשׁ , sanctuary; Sept. Κέδες, but Κάδες in  Joshua 21:32; Κάδης in  Judges 4:6, v. r. 9: Κεδεέ v. r. in  1 Chronicles 6:72), the name of three towns in Palestine.

1. A city in the extreme southern part of the territory originally assigned to Judah ( Joshua 15:23, where it is mentioned between Adadah and Hazor), and doubtless included in the portion afterwards set off to Simeon ( Joshua 19:1-9). As the associated places seem to indicate a position towards the Dead Sea, we may conjecture that it was the same as Kadesh-Barnea (the names being the same in Heb.), which lay there, and is not mentioned in either of the foregoing lists, although it certainly was included within the district indicated.

2. A Levitical city of the tribe of Issachar ( 1 Chronicles 6:72), otherwise called Kision ( Joshua 19:20; "Kishon," 21:28).

3. A "fenced city" of Naphtali ( Joshua 19:37, where it is mentioned between Hazor and Edrei), hence also called Kedesh-Naphtali (i.e. Kadesh of Naphtali,  Judges 4:6); appointed as one of the cities of refuge ( Joshua 19:7, where it is located on Mt. Naphtali), being a Levitical city assigned to the Geshonites ( Joshua 21:32;  1 Chronicles 6:76). It was one of the original Canaanitish royal cities, whose chieftains were slain by Joshua ( Joshua 12:22). and was reckoned as a Galilsean town ( Joshua 19:7;  Joshua 21:32;  1 Chronicles 6:76). It was the residence of Barak ( Judges 4:6), and there he and Deborah assembled the tribes of Zebulon and Naphtali before the conflict ( Judges 4:9-10). Near it was the tree of Zaananim, where was pitched the tent of the Kenites Heber and Jael, in which Sisera met his death ( Judges 4:11). It was probably as its name implies, a "holy place" of great antiquity, which would explain its selection as one of the cities of refuge; and its being chosen by the prophetess as the spot at which to meet the warriors of the tribes before the commencement of the struggle " for Jehovah among the mighty." It was one of the places depopulated by Tiglath-pileser ( 2 Kings 15:29). Josephus calls it Kedesa (ἡ Κέδεσα , Ant. 5: 1, 18, and 24) or Cydisa (Ant. 9, 11, 1), and places it under the name of Cedasa (Κεδάσα), on the border between Galilee and Tyre (Ant. 13: 5, 6), to the latter of which it adhered in' the final struggle (War, 3, 18, 1).

It was here that Jonathan the Maccabee gained the victory over the princes of Demetrius (Κάδης,  1 Maccabees 11:63;  1 Maccabees 11:73). It is probably the same with the Cydis (Κύδις ἡ Νεφθαλί ) mentioned as the birthplace of Tobit (i, 1). Eusebius (Ononzast. s.v. Κεδές ) mentions it by the name of Cydossos (Κυδοσσός, Jerome Cidissus), as lying in the neighborhood .of Paneas, about 20 Roman miles from Tyre. It is also probably the same with the strongly-fortified place in this district called Cydyssi by Josephus (Κυδυσσοί , War, 4:2, 3). Kedesh was situated near the "plain" of Zaanaim, on. the route taken by Barak (who was a native 'of the place) in the pursuit of Sisera, and hence must have been beyond Mt. Tabor, in the direction from the Kishon ( Judges 4:6;  Judges 4:9-11). The indications correspond very well to the position of the modern village of Kedes, discovered by Dr. Robinson on the hills west of the lake el-Huleh (Researches, 3:355; Biblibtheca Sacra, 1843, p. 11). and fully described by Rev. E. Smith (Bibl. Sac. 1849, p. 374, 375) as being a small place romantically situated on a hill in a rich and beautiful plain,- abundantly supplied with water, and containing extensive ruins apparently of Roman origin (see also Robinson's Researches, new edit., 3:366-369; Van de Velde, Narrative, ii, 417). From the 12th century (Benj. of Tudela, in Bohl's Early Travels, p. 89) it has been reputed to possess the graves of Deborah, Barak, Ahinoam, Jael, and Heber (Schwarz, Palest. p. 183; comp. p. 91). Porter, in 1858, saw close by the site the black tents of nomads pitched under the terebinths (Handbook for Palest. p. 443), like those of Heber the Kenite ( Judges 4:11.).

"In the Greek (Κυδίως ) and Syriac (Kedesh de Naphtali) texts 'of  Tobit 1:2 though not in the Vilgate or A.V. — Kedesh is introduced as the birthplace of Tobias. The text is exceedingly corrupt, but some little support is lent to this reading by the Vulgate, which, although omitting Kedesh, mentions Safed-post viam quae ducit ad .Occidentem, in sinistro habens civitatem Saphet.

"The name Kedesh exists much farther north than the possessions of Naphtali would appear to have extended, attached to a lake of considerable size on the Orontes, a few miles south of Hums, the ancient Emessa (Thomson, in Ritter, Damascus, p. 1002 sq.). The lake was well known under that name to the Arabic geographers (see, besides the authorities quoted by Robinson [iii, 594, new ed.], Abulfeda in Schultenis's Index Geogr., 'Fluvius Orontes,' and 'Kudsum'), aid they connect it in part with Alexander the Great. But this and the origin of the name are alike uncertain. At the lower end of the lake is an island which, as already remarked, is possibly the site of Ketesh, the capture of which by Sethos I is preserved in the records of that Egyptian king" (Smith).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Ke´desh. There were two cities of this name; one in the tribe of Judah , and the other in the tribe of Naphtali . This last was the more considerable of the two; it was a Levitical city, and one of the six cities of refuge. As the Kedesh whose king was slain by Joshua is mentioned among the cities of the north , it was doubtless the Kedesh of Naphtali, of which also Barak was a native .