Calneh, Calno

See also Calneh


CALNEH, CALNO kăl’ nĕ, kăl’ nō (כַּלְנֵ֑ה, כַּלְנֹ֑ו). 1. Calneh was one of the cities founded by Nimrod in Shinar and cited in association with Babel, Erech and Accad (Gen 10:10). The location of the city, however, is unknown. As a result, some suggest the reading “all of them” in place of “Calneh.” This involves a change in the vowel pointing but retains the same consonants (Gen 42:36). The RSV adopts this alteration in the vocalization and reads, “Babel, Erech, and Accad, all of them in the land of Shinar.”

Calneh appears in association with Hamath and Gath (Amos 6:2). Isaiah 10:9 associates Calno with Carchemish. Calneh and Calno are doubtless to be regarded as identical. The sequence of Amos 6:2 would seem to warrant a location to the N for Calneh rather than a location in the area of Babel, Erech and Accad. The association of Calneh with Carchemish would also support a location in the N. Ezekiel 27:23 mentions Canneh (apparently Calneh but with an assimilation of “l” to “n”) in conjunction with Haran and Eden, pointing to a location in the N as well. The apparent discrepancy can be resolved either by adopting the vocalic alteration in Genesis 10:10 or by positing two cities with the same name which is quite plausible.

2. A town, Kullania, is mentioned in Assyrian documents in frequent association with Arpad. It is quite prob. the modern Kullan Köy, located about six m. from Arpad which marks the site of the Biblical Calneh.

Bibliography I. J. Gelb, “Calneh,” AJSL, LI (1935), 189-191; W. F. Albright, “The End of ‘Calneh in Shinar,’” JNES, III (1944), 254, 255; J. Simons, The Geographical and Topographical Texts of the Old Testament (1959).