Near Salim, where John baptized (John 3:22-23; John 3:26; compare John 1:28), W. of Jordan. The name ("springs") implies" there was much water there." Robinson found a Salim E. of Nabulus, or Shechem, with two copious springs: compare Genesis 33:18. This would require Aenon to be far W. of Jordan; it agrees with this that, had it been near Jordan, John would scarcely have remarked that "much water" was there: but if far from the river, it explains how the plentiful water at AEnon was convenient for baptisms.
There is an Ainun still near Shechem or Nabloos, with many beautiful streams and brooks. Ainun is as distant N. of the springs (three or four miles) as Salim is S. of them. The valley is called the wady Farah. (See SALIM.) The Ainun site is on the main line from Jerusalem to Nazareth. Here most probably, at the upper source of the wady Farah stream, between Salim and Ainun, was John's Aenon. The Palestine explorer, Lieut. Conder, confirms this; moreover, this would explain John 4:4, "Jesus must needs go through Samaria; ... one soweth and another reapeth," etc. (John 4:37-38.) John the Baptist, the forerunner, prepared the way in Samaria; Jesus and His disciples must needs follow up by preaching the gospel there.