Bible Dictionaries
Kedesh

Holman Bible Dictionary

(kee' dehssh) Place name meaning, “sacred place” or “sanctuary.” 1. A city in the southern part of Judah (Joshua 15:23 ). Probably the same as Kadesh-Barnea. See Kadesh-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