Timnath-heres

TIMNATH-HERES tīm’ năth hĭr’ ĭz (תִּמְנַת־חֶ֖רֶס, portion of the sun), the place of Joshua’s inheritance and burial mentioned only in Judges 2:9. It was located according to the text “in the hill country of Ephraim, north of the mountain of Gaash.” The LXX reads Θαμναθαρες, and an ancient Samaritan tradition identifies this site with modern Kafr-Haris about twelve m. SW of Nablus and a mere seven m. from Shechem, but there is little archeological evidence for this identification. The name Timnath-heres means “precinct of the sun.” It was usually connected in the rabbinical traditions with the place where Joshua commanded the sun to stand still (Josh 10:13). The difference between this name and the spelling given in Joshua 19:50 and 24:30 may be a simple metathesis, but the fact that the word is meaningful in both passages and the testimony of the LXX indicates that Timnath-heres was prob. the more ancient place name.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

This is the form of the name given to Joshua’s property and place of burial in Jud 2:9. The name in Jos 19:50; 24:30 is Timnath-serah. "Serah" simply reverses the order of the letters in "Heres." Scholars are divided in opinion as to which form is correct. It is possible that the change from Heres to Serah may have been deliberate, in order to avoid a form which might savor of idolatry--sun-worship. The Jews and Samaritans hold that Heres is the original form.

See also