The Lantern

Concerning the Place Names in Sacred Scripture · Notes48

CCEL

332. Galennoum (Geennom). Joshua 18:16; K. 70:2; L. 255:47.

Variant Enom (Latin).

One of several detailed notes about Jerusalem. The etymology is from the Hebrew (cf. K. 170:8). The valley forms the border of Benjamin and Jouda. In Byzantine tradition as here, it is equated with the Kedron (K. 118:11 and K. 174:26).

333. Geththepher. Joshua 19:13; K. 70:5; L. 255:50.

Textual variant Geththepha (Greek).

Simple tribal listing.

In Interpretation of Hebrew Names "Gethhaafer, his press of ground or excavated" (94).

334. Gēephthael. Joshua 19:14; K. 70:6; L. 255:52.

The name is missing in Vatican manuscript but supplied correctly from Latin (cp. K. 110:1).

335. Gabathōn. Joshua 19:14; K. 70:7; L. 255:53.

The Onomasticon has added a number of items from the confused Old Testament Geba concordance.

a) The Onomasticon identified Gabathon of Dan with the city (polichnē in Greek cp. K. 22:11) of Gabe near Kaisareia. This is probably in error. This Gabe is accurately located southeast of Mt.Karmel at present Jeba .

b) A little farther located generally east in the Great Plain of Legeōn is the first Gabatha at Jebata (or Gevat) southwest of Nazareth.

c) In the Daroma (K. 26:10) the Onomasticon has a Gabaa and Gabatha. Possibly these are double names for the same village (plural only in Latin). Perhaps this is same as Gabatha (K. 70:23) twelve miles from Eleutheropolis but this is toward Jerusalem and not in the Daroma. Possible near Ziph.

d) The Gabatha of Benjamin and Saoul (Joshua 18:28 and I Samuel 10:26) is located by our text and is not the Old Testament site Tell al Ful which had no Byzantine remains, but the nearby Jaba which is close to er-Ram and fits Jerome's location of Gabaa of Saul next to Rama ( Commentary on Hosea 5:8).

e) The Babathon of the heathen (I Kings 16:15) may be the region of Dor half-way between Kaisareia and Mt.Karmel. The Latin is confusing.

In Interpretation of Hebrew Names "Gabathon, height or high press" (94).

336. Gethremmōn. Joshua 19:45; K. 70:14; L. 255:58.

This is one of several instances where "another" is in its proper biblical order (Joshua 21:24). Usually in the Onomasticon "another" is out of order and suggests some late marginal gloss has been incorporated into our manuscripts (cf. K. 68:28 above). The confusion suggested it is equated with K. 72:3.

The contemporary city is hardly from Dan. There is a possibility the direction of the road has been reversed, but 12 miles is almost midway, so little is changed, possibly Ras abu Hamid . If it is to be distinguished from the Madaba map site near Ramle, it could well be Tell es safi , long a candidate for Philistine Gath which is 8 Roman miles north of Eleutheropolis, but biblical Gethaemmon is located way north at Tell Jerishe .

337. Galeilōth (Galiloth). Joshua 22:10; K. 70:17; L. 255:61.

Textual variants: Galiloth, Gaieiloth (Greek).

Since the LXX transliterates the Hebrew for "borders" it is listed here as a "place" but not a contemporary village (cf. Josh 18:17).

338. Gaas. Joshua 24:30; K. 70:19; L. 255:63.

A mountain and so properly not original in the Onomasticon 's text.