Allon
Allon is a location mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Galilee in modern-day Israel. Known today as Hanot Taggarim. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Allon appears in Joshua 19:33 as a place name marking the border of the tribe of Naphtali: 'Their boundary ran from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, Adami-nekeb, and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum.' The Hebrew word allon means 'oak' or 'great tree,' and many scholars understand the reference as a specific large oak tree used as a geographic landmark rather than a settled town — a common practice in ancient Near Eastern boundary descriptions where notable trees, springs, and rock formations served as natural boundary markers. Such trees held both practical and symbolic weight in biblical culture; oaks in particular are associated throughout the Old Testament with sacred sites, covenant ceremonies, and divine encounters (Genesis 12:6; 13:18; Judges 4:11). In Naphtali's border description, the oak at Allon anchored the starting point of the tribe's southern boundary, helping define the territorial inheritance of one of the northernmost Israelite tribes in the Galilee region.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
The location identified with Allon — Hanot Taggarim near the Sea of Galilee's northern approaches — lies within the lower Galilee region where numerous ancient tels and natural landmarks have been documented. The identification of Allon is uncertain since the biblical reference may indicate a tree landmark rather than a town. The surrounding region of lower Galilee has been extensively surveyed as part of the Galilee Regional Project and related initiatives. Iron Age settlements in this corridor have been documented at several sites, reflecting Israelite habitation during the tribal period. The association with a specific large oak tree complicates archaeological verification, as such biological landmarks leave no permanent physical trace in the archaeological record.
Verse Appearances (1)
Josh
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →