Bible Dictionary

Kenath

Places & Geography • Old Testament
A Visit With Jesus
  Back to Dictionary Search
Kenath was a city in Bashan captured by Nobah, who gave it his own name. It was later associated with the region east of the Jordan.

Definition

Kenath was a city in Bashan, east of the Jordan, with surrounding villages. Nobah captured it from the Amorites and gave it his own name.

Biblical Usage

Kenath is mentioned in the account of Nobah’s conquest and naming of the city and its villages. It was later recaptured by Geshur and Aram.

Historical Background

Kenath is probably identified with modern Kanawat, on the slopes of Jebel ed-Druze. The site contains remains of an ancient city, including Roman and Christian remains.

Scripture References

Historical Bible Dictionaries

Easton's Bible Dictionary
Possession, a city of Gilead. It was captured by Nobah, who called it by his own name (Num. 32:42). It has been identified with Kunawat, on the slopes of Jebel Hauran (Mount Bashan), 60 miles east from the south end of the Sea of Galilee.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(possession), one of the cities on the east of Jordan, with its “daughter-towns” (Authorized Version “villages”) taken possession of by a certain Nobah, who then called it by his own name, (Numbers 32:42)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>ke'-nath (qenath; Kaath kaanath, in Septuagint, Codex Alexandrinus): A city in Bashan, taken along with its "daughters," i.e. "villages" from the Amorites by Nobah who gave it his own name (Nu 32:42). It was recaptured by Geshur and Aram (1Ch 2:23). It is probably identical with the modern Kanawat, which is built on the site, and largely from the materials of an ancient city. It lies about 16 miles to the North of Bosra eski Sham, the Bostra of the Romans, on both sides of Wady Kanawat, where, descending from the slopes of Jebel ed-Druze, it plunges over a precipice, forming a picturesque waterfall. On the plateau above the modern village, there is a striking collection of Roman and Christian remains, the shapely forms of many columns lending distinction to the scene. One large building is associated with the name of the patriarch Job--Maqam Ayyub. The position commands a spacious and interesting view over the whole of the Chauran. The identification has been rejected by Socin (Baedeker, Pal3, 207), but his reasons are not given. Moore (Judges, 222) also rejects it, but for reasons that are not convincing.</p><p>W. Ewing</p>
  Back to Dictionary Search