Bible Encyclopedias
Judah Upon Jordan

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(יְהוּ דָה הִיִּרְדֵּ , Judah of the Jordan; Sept. and Vulg. in most editions omit "Judah" altogether), is mentioned as the extreme eastern limit of the territory of Naphtali (but not within it), apparently on its northern boundary (Joshua 19:34), and therefore probably referring to a tract immediately east of that around the sources of the Jordan, between Mount Hermon and Banias. Schwarz (Palestine, p. 185) plausibly explains the application of the name of Judah to a region so far distant from the territory of that tribe by assigning it as the title to the Gileaditish district embraced in the circuit of the towns of Havoth-Jair, i.e. the villages of Jair, who was a descendant of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:21); and he adduces Talmudical authorities for reckoning his possessions as a part of that tribe. (See JAIR). The same explanation had been suggested by C. von Raumer (cited by Keil, Comment. on Josh. ad loc.). Dr. Thomson (Land and Book, 1, 389 sq.) speaks of three interesting domes in this vicinity, called those of Seid Yehuda (i.e. "Lord Judah," the Arabs traditionally holding that they represent the tomb of the son of Jacob), which he believes is a clue to the connection of this city with the tribe of the same name.

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