Place Old Testament
Ezem
Also known as Ezem =ESV, NIV, KJV; Azem =KJV
Ezem, a city allotted to the tribes of Judah and Simeon in the Negev region. Mentioned in 3 verses across 2 books, first at Joshua 15:29.
Why it matters. City allotted to Judah and Simeon
- Primary passages
- Location
- 31.245, 34.841 (disputed, within about 2 km)
Coordinates from STEPBible TIPNR (palopenmaps.org link). Approximate; not independently verified. OpenBible.info places it about 123 km away (32.050, 35.733); the identification may be uncertain.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Ezem
Ezem is mentioned in the Bible as a city that was allotted to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:29) and later given to the tribe of Simeon as part of their inheritance within Judah's territory (Joshua 19:3; 1Ch.4.29).
The city is listed among other cities in the Negev, the southern desert region of Judah. In Joshua 15:29, Ezem is mentioned alongside Baalah, Iim, and Tolad, while in Joshua 19:3 and 1Ch.4.29, it is listed with Bethul, Hormah, and Ziklag as part of Simeon's inheritance.
No other details about Ezem are provided in the Bible, and its exact location is unknown. The Negev was known for its arid climate and served as a buffer zone between the Israelites and the surrounding desert-dwelling tribes.
The mention of Ezem in the lists of cities allotted to Judah and Simeon helps to define the extent of their territories and provides insight into the geography of the region during the time of the Israelite conquest and settlement of Canaan.
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 3 verses across 2 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.