Tiphsah
“Ford; crossing place”
Summary
A city on the Euphrates River marking the northeastern boundary of Solomon's kingdom, known to the Greeks as Thapsacus, where the river was typically crossed.
☩Solomon's Border
Tiphsah is mentioned as marking the northeastern extent of Solomon's dominion, with Gaza representing the southwestern limit. The name derives from the Hebrew word meaning 'to ford,' as this was the usual crossing place of the Euphrates. Solomon's occupation of this strategic location was likely connected with his efforts to establish trade routes with Central Asia, with Tadmor (Palmyra) serving as a caravan rest stop on the journey.
☩Strategic Importance
The city was known to Greeks and Romans as Thapsacus and was of considerable commercial importance. Land traffic between East and West passed through it, first by ford and later by a bridge of boats. It served as a point where goods were both embarked for river transport downstream and unloaded from boats coming upstream. Xenophon described it as 'great and prosperous.'
☩Military Crossings
Thapsacus was the place where armies typically crossed the Euphrates. Cyrus the younger's Ten Thousand crossed here, as did Darius Codomannus fleeing from Issus and Alexander the Great in pursuit. A bridge of boats was usually maintained by the Persian kings, though the stream could generally be forded except during flood season.
☩Menahem's Attack
A Tiphsah is also mentioned in connection with Menahem king of Israel, who brutally attacked its inhabitants when they refused to open their gates to him. This may have been a different town near Tirzah rather than the distant Euphrates city, though the identification remains uncertain.
☩Location
The Euphrates expedition proved there is no ford at the traditionally suggested site of Deir. The only ford in this section of the river is at Suriyeh, 45 miles below Balis, where the river is about 800 yards wide as Xenophon described, and was found to have only 20 inches of water in winter. Paved causeways visible on both banks and mounds in a parallelogram shape mark the ancient site.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Tiphsah," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. X (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Tiphsah," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. V (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.George Morrish, "Tiphsah," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).