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Bible Encyclopedias
Timnath-Heres
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or (Heb. Timndth Cheres, חֶרֶס תַּמַנִת , Timnah of Heres; Sept. θαμναθαρές v.r. θαμναθάρ ἕως; Vulg. Thamnatsare; Judges 2, 9), or Tim'nath-se'rah (Heb. Timndth-Serach, תַּמְנִתאּסֶרִח, Timnah of Serah; Sept. θαμναθσαρά and θαμναθσαχάς, v.r. θαμνασαράχ and θαμμαχαρής or θαμναθασαχάρα;Vulg. Thamnath Sara and Thanmnath Sare; Joshua 19:5; Joshua 24:30; Josephus, θαμνά, Ant. 5, 1, 29), the name (varied only by the transposition of the last two consonants of the latter part) by which the city and burial-place of Joshua was known. The Jews adopt Heres as the real name; interpret it to mean "the sun;" and see in it a reference to the act of making the sun stand still, which is to them the greatest exploit of Joshua's life, as they state that the figure of the sun (temunath ha-cheres) was carved upon the sepulcher (Rashi, Comment. ad loc.). Others (as Fü rst, 1, 442), while accepting Heres as the original form, interprets that word as "clay," and as originating in the character of the soil. Others, again, like Ewald (Gesch. 2, 347, 8) and Bertheau (On Judges), take Serah to be the original form, and Heres an ancient but unintentional error. It was the spot which at his own request was presented to Joshua after the partition of the country was completed (Joshua 19:50), and in "the border" of which he was buried (24, 30). It is specified as "in Mount Ephraim on the north side of Mount Gaash." Timnathserah and the tomb of its illustrious owner were shown in the time of Jerome, who mentions them in the Epitaphium Paulae (§ 13).
Beyond its being south of Shechem, he gives no indication of its position, but he dismisses it with the following characteristic remark, a fitting tribute to the simple self- denial of the great soldier of Israel: "Satisque mirata est, quod distributor possessionum sibi montana et aspera delegisset. Hebrew tradition, in accordance with the above Rabbinical interpretation, identifies the place with Kefar Cheres, which is said by rabbi Jacob (Carmoly, Itineraires, etc. p. 186), Hap-Parchi (Asher, Benj. of Tudela, p. 434), and other Jewish travelers down to Schwarz in our own day (Palest. p. 151), to be about five miles south of Shechem (Nablus) this is doubtless the present Kefr- Harit, or Kefr-Haris, which, however, is more nearly double that distance S.S.W. of Nablus. The modern village has three sacred places-one of Nebi Nan, i.e. the tomb of Nun; the second, Nebi Lusha, i.e. the tomb of Joshua; and the third, Nebi Kifl, i.e. the tomb of the "division by lot" (Conder, Tent-Work in Palest. 1, 78). Another and more promising identification has, however, been suggested in our own day by Dr. Smith (Bibl. Sacra [1843], p. 478 sq.). In his journey from, Jifna to Mejdel-Yaba, about six miles from the former, he discovered the ruins of a considerable town by the name of Tibneh on a gentle hill on the left (south) of the road. . Opposite the town (apparently to the south) was a much higher hill, in the north side of which are several excavated sepulchers, which in size and in the richness and character of their decorations resemble the so-called "Tombs of the Kings" at Jerusalem. The mound or tell stands on the south bank of a deep valley, surrounded by desolate mountains; by it a clear spring issues from a cave; to the south-west is a beautiful arid immense oak-tree, called by the natives Sheik et-Teim, "the chief, the servant of God." South of the tell the hillside is hollowed out with many tombs, most of which are choked up. One of these has a porch with two rude pilasters, and along the faç ade are over two hundred niches ‘ for lamps; the trailing boughs of the bushes above hang down picturesquely, and half cover the entrance. Within are three kokim, or cells, and through the central one it is possible to creep into a second chamber with only a single grave. Other tombs exist farther east, one having a sculptured facade; but the tomb described is the one popularly supposed to be that of Joshua (Conder, ut sup. p. 228). (See JOSHUA).
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Timnath-Heres'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/t/timnath-heres.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
