Lasha
“Fissure or cleft”
Summary
An ancient boundary marker mentioned in Genesis as defining the southeastern limit of Canaanite territory, traditionally identified with the hot springs of Callirrhoe east of the Dead Sea.
☩Biblical Reference
Lasha appears only once in Scripture, in Genesis 10:19, where it marks one of the boundaries of the Canaanite territory: 'And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.' The verse traces the extent of Canaanite settlement from Sidon in the northwest to Gaza in the southwest, then eastward through the cities of the plain to Lasha.
☩Traditional Identification
According to Jerome and the ancient Targums (both Jonathan and Jerusalem), Lasha was the site afterwards known as Callirrhoe, famous for its warm springs on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. These springs, visited by travelers Irby and Mangles, lie north of the Arnon River at the mouth of Wadi Zurka. The waters flow through a chasm 122 feet wide, worn through perpendicular cliffs, at a temperature of 94 degrees Fahrenheit with a slight sulphurous taste. These were the springs visited by Herod the Great during his final illness. However, some scholars question whether this location is too far north to serve as a proper boundary marker.
Related Verses1 mention
Genesis· 1 verse
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Lasha," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. V (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Lasha," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).