Bible Dictionaries
Zarethan

Holman Bible Dictionary

(zar' ih than) Place name perhaps meaning, “cooling.” The River Jordan backed up and Israel passed over into Canaan on dry ground near there (Joshua 3:16 ). It was near Beth-shean (1 Kings 4:12 ). Hiram of Tyre cast bronze Temple vessels near there (1 Kings 7:46; the parallel in 2 Chronicles 4:17 reads Zeredah). Zarethan is most often identified with the two mounds of tell es-Saidiyah on the east bank of the Jordan about fourteen miles north of Adam (tell ed-Damiyeh). Archaeologists have uncovered numerous bronze artifacts from the vicinity of Succoth and Zarethan, confirming activity like that attributed to Hiram. Alternate sites include tell Umm Hamad, Sleihat, and tell el-Merkbere.