Kenath
“Possession”
Summary
A city east of the Jordan conquered by Nobah and renamed after himself, later retaken by the Geshurites and Arameans.
☩Conquest and Location
Kenath was a city in Gilead (the region of Bashan) that was captured, along with its surrounding villages, from the Amorites by Nobah, an associate or relative of Jair. After capturing it, Nobah renamed the city after himself, though the original name eventually supplanted his. The city was located in the region east of the Jordan, in what became the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh. It was later recaptured by Geshur and Aram (the Arameans or Syrians), who took it along with the villages of Jair, totaling sixty cities.
☩Modern Identification
The site has been confidently identified with the modern Kanawat, located on the western slopes of the Hauran mountains, about sixteen miles north of Bosra. The modern village is built on the site and largely from the materials of an ancient city. Extensive Roman and Christian remains are still visible, with many shapely columns lending distinction to the scene. One large building is associated with the name of the patriarch Job. In front of one of the most beautiful temples stands a colossal head of Ashteroth, indicating this may have been a center of worship from very ancient times.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Kenath," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. V (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Kenath," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.George Morrish, "Kenath," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 4.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Kenath," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).