Heshmon was a town allotted to the tribe of Judah in the Negev region.
Heshmon was a town located in the Negev region, the southern part of the territory allotted to the tribe of Judah. It is mentioned only once in the Bible, in Joshua 15:27, as part of the list of towns and villages in the southland of Judah.
In the context of Joshua 15, the chapter describes the boundaries and cities of Judah's inheritance in the Promised Land. The list of towns is divided into several geographical regions, including the Negev, the lowland, and the hill country.
Heshmon is listed among other towns in the Negev, such as Moladah, Hazar-gaddah, Hazar-shual, and Beersheba. The exact location of Heshmon is uncertain, as it is not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible or in other historical sources.
The name "Heshmon" is derived from the Hebrew root meaning "fatness" or "fertility," which may suggest that the town was situated in a relatively fertile area within the Negev region, known for its arid climate.
The mention of Heshmon in the biblical text serves to provide a detailed account of the cities and villages allotted to the tribe of Judah and to underscore the fulfillment of God's promise to give each tribe a portion of the Promised Land as an inheritance. Its inclusion in the list also highlights the importance of geographical accuracy and attention to detail in the recording of Israel's history and the allotment of the land.
Approximate location: 31.215, 34.943 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
Fatness, a town in the south of Judah (Josh. 15:27).
(rich soil), a place named, with others, as lying in the extreme south of Judah. (Joshua 15:27)
HESH'MON (fertility), a town named with others as lying in the south of Judah, Josh 15:27. Wilton connects it with Husham, an Edomite king, Gen 36:34-35, and with 'Ain Hash, perhaps Hashmonah of Num 33:29-30, but Conder identifies Heshmon with a site called el-Meshash ("the pits"), which has two wells and is on the road from Beer-sheba to Moladah.
HESH'MON (fertility), a town named with others as lying in the south of Judah, Josh 15:27. Wilton connects it with Husham, an Edomite king, Gen 36:34-35, and with 'Ain Hash, perhaps Hashmonah of Num 33:29-30, but Conder identifies Heshmon with a site called el-Meshash ("the pits"), which has two wells and is on the road from Beer-sheba to Moladah.
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
1 verse in 1 book · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H2829
Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet,
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.