Chesulloth
Chesulloth is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Galilee in modern-day Israel. Known today as Iksal. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Chesulloth was a town in the tribal territory of Issachar, mentioned once in Joshua 19:18 in the list of cities assigned to that tribe during the Israelite settlement of Canaan. The town is situated in the Jezreel Valley region at the foot of the hills of Galilee, at the junction of important north-south routes connecting the coast with the Sea of Galilee and beyond. Chesulloth is generally equated with Chisloth-tabor, another biblical place name that appears in Joshua 19:12 in the boundary description of Zebulun, suggesting the two names may refer to the same location or closely adjacent settlements sharing proximity to Mount Tabor. The Jezreel Valley, in which Chesulloth was located, was among the most contested and historically significant regions of ancient Canaan, serving as a thoroughfare for armies and merchants from Egypt to Mesopotamia. Its identification with modern Iksal connects the ancient town to the foot of the Nazareth ridge in the Lower Galilee.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Chesulloth is identified with modern Iksal, an Arab village at the southwestern foot of the Nazareth hills in the Lower Galilee region of Israel. Archaeological surveys at Iksal and the surrounding area have documented Iron Age occupation, supporting its identification with the biblical Issacharite town list. The site commands a panoramic view of the Jezreel Valley and lies near the base of the hills leading up to Mount Tabor, consistent with both biblical boundary references. Roman and Byzantine-period remains have also been found, indicating long-term habitation. The Arabic name Iksal is thought by some scholars to preserve a linguistic echo of the ancient Chesulloth through centuries of phonetic evolution.
Verse Appearances (1)
Josh
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →