Bible Location

Calneh

Also known as: Calneh Assyrian city

Calneh is a biblical place name occurring in Genesis 10:10 and, depending upon translation and interpretation, in Amos 6:2. Genesis places Calneh with Babel, Erech, and Akkad in the land of Shinar as part of the beginning of Nimrod's kingdom.

The precise identification of the Genesis city is uncertain. Various ancient Mesopotamian cities have been proposed, but no archaeological site can presently be identified as Calneh with confidence.

The Calneh mentioned in Amos may represent a different city, often associated with the north Syrian city known as Kullani or Kullanhu. The two references should therefore not automatically be treated as the same location.

Biblical Significance

Genesis 10:10 lists Calneh among the cities associated with Nimrod's kingdom in the land of Shinar. Together with Babel, Erech, and Akkad, it places Calneh within the early Mesopotamian setting of Genesis.

Amos 6:2 tells its audience to consider Calneh, Hamath, and Gath while warning the complacent leaders of Israel and Judah. The prophetic argument points to cities whose political fortunes demonstrated that apparent strength could not guarantee security.

Because the geographical settings of Genesis 10 and Amos 6 differ, scholars have questioned whether both passages refer to the same Calneh.

Historical Background

The historical identification of Calneh is difficult because similar ancient names occur in different regions and because the biblical passages provide limited geographical information.

The Calneh of Amos has often been associated with Kullani, an important city in northern Syria known from Assyrian records. Tiglath-pileser III conquered Kullani during Assyria's western expansion in the eighth century BC, making such a city suitable to Amos' rhetorical comparison.

The Genesis reference, however, places Calneh in Shinar alongside major Mesopotamian cities. Attempts to identify it with a particular southern Mesopotamian site remain uncertain.

Modern Identification

No secure modern identification exists for the Calneh of Genesis 10:10. Proposed locations should therefore be presented cautiously rather than plotted as certain.

The Calneh of Amos 6:2 is more commonly associated with Kullani in northern Syria, but this does not establish that the Genesis and Amos references designate the same ancient city.

AVWJ should preserve this distinction and treat the location of the Genesis Calneh as unresolved.

Scripture References

Genesis 10:10 Amos 6:2

Related Resources

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Sources

Bible: Genesis 10:10, Amos 6:2; biblical dictionaries and historical-geographical studies concerning Calneh, Kullani, Shinar, and Neo-Assyrian Syria