Place Old Testament
Beth-shemesh
Also known as Beth-shemesh =ESV, KJV; Beth Shemesh =NIV
Beth-shemesh was a border town in the territory of Issachar. (Joshua 19:22) Mentioned once in Scripture, at Joshua 19:22.
Why it matters. Border town of Issachar.
- Primary passages
- Location
- 32.406, 35.505 (approximate, within about 2 km)
Coordinates from STEPBible TIPNR (palopenmaps.org link). Approximate; not independently verified.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Beth-shemesh
Beth-shemesh, meaning "house of the sun" in Hebrew, is mentioned in Joshua 19:22 as a border town in the territory allotted to the tribe of Issachar. This Beth-shemesh is distinct from the more well-known city of the same name in Judah.
The town is listed along with other cities and towns in Issachar's inheritance, such as Tabor, Shahazimah, and En-gannim. Its inclusion in this list suggests that it was located on the border of Issachar's territory, possibly adjacent to the territories of other tribes.
No other information about this Beth-shemesh is provided in the Bible, and it is not mentioned in any other historical or archaeological context. Its name, "house of the sun," may refer to the presence of a shrine or temple dedicated to the sun god, or it could be related to a local geographical feature.
The exact location of Beth-shemesh in Issachar is uncertain, but it was likely situated in the region of the Jezreel Valley, which was known for its fertile land and strategic importance.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
No reviewed connections yet.
Appears in Scripture
Named in 1 verse across 1 book. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.
Joshua (1 verse)