Heres
“Sun; or destruction (depending on pointing)”
Summary
Heres ("sun") appears in two contexts: Mount Heres, a location in Dan held by the Amorites; and in Isaiah 19:18 where "City of Destruction" (or "City of the Sun") prophetically refers to an Egyptian city devoted to the Lord.
☩Mount Heres
Mount Heres ("mountain of the sun") was in the territory of Dan near Aijalon, where the Amorites stubbornly retained possession even after the conquest. It was probably situated on an eminence bordering the valley east of Aijalon. Some scholars connect it with Beth-shemesh ("house of the sun"), suggesting the area had associations with sun worship.
☩City of the Sun
In Isaiah 19:18, the phrase is read differently by various manuscripts: "city of destruction" (heres) or "city of the sun" (cheres). The prophecy speaks of five cities in Egypt speaking Hebrew and swearing allegiance to the Lord. Some scholars relate this to Heliopolis ("City of the Sun") or to the Jewish temple at Leontopolis.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Heres," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IV (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.George Morrish, "Heres," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 3.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Heres," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).