Bible Encyclopedias
Harosheth of the Gentiles; Harosheth of the Nations

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ha - rō´sheth ( חרשׁת הגּוים , ḥărōsheth ha - gōyı̄m ): There is now no means of discovering what is meant by the phrase "of the nations." This is the place whence Sisera led his hosts to the Kishon against Deborah and Barak ( Judges 4:13 ), to which the discomfited and leaderless army fled after their defeat (Judges 4:16 ). No site seems so well to meet the requirements of the narrative as el Ḥarithı̄yeh . There are still the remains of an ancient stronghold on this great double mound, which rises on the North bank of the Kishon, in the throat of the pass leading by the base of Carmel, from the coast to Esdraelon. It effectually commands the road which here climbs the slope, and winds through the oak forest to the plain; Megiddo being some 16 miles distant. The modern also preserves a reminiscence of the ancient name. By emending the text, Cheyne would here find the name "Kadshon," to be identified with Kedesh in Galilee (EB , under the word). On any reasonable reading of the narrative this is unnecessary.