Engannim
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Engannim, meaning "fountain of gardens" in Hebrew, is a biblical location mentioned in the Old Testament. It is associated with two distinct sites, one in the territory of Judah and the other in the territory of Issachar. The name itself suggests a place of lushness and fertility, likely due to the presence of a spring or well, which would have been a vital resource in the arid climate of ancient Israel.

1. Engannim in Judah: Engannim is first mentioned in the context of the tribal allotments in the Book of Joshua. In Joshua 15:34, Engannim is listed among the towns in the lowland region of Judah. This area, known for its agricultural productivity, would have benefited from the water resources implied by the name Engannim. The specific location of this Engannim is not definitively known today, but it is thought to be in the Shephelah, the fertile foothills between the coastal plain and the Judean mountains.

2. Engannim in Issachar: The second mention of Engannim is found in the tribal allotments for Issachar. In Joshua 19:21, Engannim is listed as one of the towns given to the tribe of Issachar. This Engannim is often identified with the modern-day site of Jenin, located in the northern West Bank. Jenin is situated on the southern edge of the Jezreel Valley, a region known for its rich soil and agricultural output. The presence of a spring or well would have made Engannim a strategic and desirable location for settlement.

3. Levitical City: Engannim in Issachar is also noted as a Levitical city. In 1 Chronicles 6:73, it is mentioned as one of the cities given to the Gershonite Levites. The Levites, who were set apart for religious duties and did not receive a contiguous territory like the other tribes, were instead given specific cities and their surrounding pasturelands. This allocation underscores the importance of Engannim as a center of both religious and agricultural life.

4. Historical and Archaeological Insights: While the exact identification of Engannim in Judah remains uncertain, the association of Engannim in Issachar with Jenin is supported by historical and archaeological evidence. Jenin has been continuously inhabited for millennia, and its strategic location at the crossroads of major trade routes would have made it an important settlement in ancient times.

5. Biblical Significance: The mention of Engannim in the context of tribal allotments and Levitical cities highlights the careful organization and distribution of land among the tribes of Israel. It reflects the importance of water resources in determining the viability and prosperity of a settlement. Engannim's dual mention in both Judah and Issachar also illustrates the diverse geography and settlement patterns within the Promised Land.

In summary, Engannim serves as a testament to the significance of water and fertile land in the biblical narrative, representing both the physical sustenance and spiritual heritage of the people of Israel.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Engannim

(fountain of the garden).

  1. A city in the low country of Judah, named between Zanoah and Tappuah. (Joshua 15:34)
  2. A city on the border of Issachar. (Joshua 19:21) allotted with its "suburbs" to the Gershonite Levites, (Joshua 21:29) probably Jenin , the first village encountered on the ascent from the great plain of Esdraelon into the hills of the central country.
ATS Bible Dictionary
Engannim

1. A town of Judah, probably near Bethel, Joshua 15:34.

2. A city of the priests, in Issachar, now Jenin, fifteen miles south of mount Tabor, Joshua 19:21; 21:29.

Easton's Bible Dictionary
Fountain of gardens.

(1.) A town in the plains of Judah (Joshua 15:34), north-west of Jerusalem, between Zanoah and Tappuah. It is the modern Umm Jina.

(2.) A city on the border of Machar (Joshua 19:21), allotted to the Gershonite Levites (21:29). It is identified with the modern Jenin, a large and prosperous town of about 4,000 inhabitants, situated 15 miles south of Mount Tabor, through which the road from Jezreel to Samaria and Jerusalem passes. When Ahaziah, king of Judah, attempted to escape from Jehu, he "fled by the way of the garden house" i.e., by way of En-gannim. Here he was overtaken by Jehu and wounded in his chariot, and turned aside and fled to Megiddo, a distance of about 20 miles, to die there.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
EN-GANNIM

en-gan'-im (`en gannim, "spring of gardens"):

(1) A town in the territory of Judah, named with Zanoah and Eshtaol (Joshua 15:34). It is probably identical with the modern Umm Jina, South of Wady ec-Carar, not far from Zanoah (Zanu`a).

(2) A town in the lot of Isaachat (Joshua 19:21), assigned to the Gershonite Levites (21:29). In 1 Chronicles 6:73 it is replaced by Anem. It probably corresponds to the Ginnea of Josephus (Ant., XX, vi, 1; BJ, III, iii, 4), and may certainly be identified with the modern Jenin, a prosperous village on the southern edge of the plain of Esdraelon, with beautiful gardens, fruitful orchards and plentiful supplies of water from the local springs.

W. Ewing

Library

The Census and the Journey of the Holy Family
... (SB). [93] The Field of Ginim, six hours from Nazareth, is presumably Engannim or
Ginaea, the modern Jenin ... Engannim is mentioned in Jos. 15. 34 and 19. ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/x the census and the.htm

Thesaurus
Engannim (3 Occurrences)
...Engannim (3 Occurrences). Joshua 15:34 And Zanoah, and Engannim, Tappuah, and Enam,
(KJV). Joshua 19:21 Remeth, Engannim, En Haddah, and Beth Pazzez. ...
/e/engannim.htm - 8k

Remeth (1 Occurrence)
... It is represented today by the village er-Rameh, situated on a hill which rises
abruptly from the green plain about 11 miles Southwest of Jenin (Engannim). ...
/r/remeth.htm - 7k

En-gannim (3 Occurrences)
En-gannim. Engannim, En-gannim. En-gan'nim . Easton's Bible Dictionary ... (ASV
BBE DBY JPS WBS YLT NAS). Engannim, En-gannim. En-gan'nim . Reference Bible
/e/en-gannim.htm - 9k

Gannim (3 Occurrences)
... Joshua 15:34 Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam, (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT
NAS NIV). Joshua 19:21 Remeth, Engannim, En Haddah, and Beth Pazzez. ...
/g/gannim.htm - 7k

Tappuah (8 Occurrences)
... 15:34). It is named between Engannim and Enam in a group of cities that
lay in the Northwest of the territory of Judah. Tristram ...
/t/tappuah.htm - 11k

Enhaddah (1 Occurrence)
... Jenin. Multi-Version Concordance Enhaddah (1 Occurrence). Joshua 19:21 And
Remeth, and Engannim, and Enhaddah, and Bethpazzez; (KJV). ...
/e/enhaddah.htm - 7k

En-haddah (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance En-haddah (1 Occurrence). Joshua 19:21 and Remeth, and
Engannim, and En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez, (ASV BBE DBY JPS WBS YLT NAS). ...
/e/en-haddah.htm - 7k

Engaging (3 Occurrences)

/e/engaging.htm - 7k

En (19 Occurrences)
... Reuben. (Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Joshua
19:21 Remeth, Engannim, En Haddah, and Beth Pazzez. (Root in ...
/e/en.htm - 14k

Pazzez (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Pazzez (1 Occurrence). Joshua 19:21 Remeth, Engannim,
En Haddah, and Beth Pazzez. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV). ...
/p/pazzez.htm - 6k

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