En-haddah
En-haddah is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Galilee in modern-day Israel. Known today as Hadita. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
En-haddah appears in Scripture only once, in Joshua 19:21, where it is listed among the towns of the tribe of Issachar in the allotment of the promised land following the conquest under Joshua. The name likely means 'swift spring' or 'sharp spring,' indicating a location characterized by a fast-flowing or particularly vigorous water source — an important feature in the agricultural economy of ancient Canaan. En-haddah was situated in the territory of Issachar, one of the tribes whose inheritance lay in the fertile Jezreel Valley and the hills surrounding it. Issachar's land was among the most productive in all of Canaan, and settlements like En-haddah would have thrived on its rich soils and reliable water supply. Though no major biblical events are specifically attached to En-haddah, it represents the detailed care with which the division of the land was recorded in Scripture, affirming that God's covenant with Israel extended to every spring, field, and village of the promised inheritance.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
En-haddah is tentatively associated with Hadita (also spelled Haditah), a site located in the eastern Jezreel Valley near the Jordan River, in the vicinity of the Harod spring system. The area sits along the route between the Harod Valley and the Beth-shan corridor, a zone of dense Bronze and Iron Age settlement. The nearby Tel Beth-shan has been extensively excavated and shows continuous occupation from the Neolithic period through the Byzantine era. En-haddah itself has not been formally excavated, and the identification with Hadita rests primarily on geographical plausibility within Issachar's tribal territory as described in Joshua 19. Regional surveys confirm Iron Age pottery in the vicinity.
Verse Appearances (1)
Josh
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →