Heres
Heres is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Transjordan. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Heres appears in Judges 8:13 in a brief but telling episode during Gideon's pursuit of the Midianite kings Zebah and Zalmunna following his victory at the Wadi Kishon. After crossing the Jordan, Gideon and his three hundred exhausted warriors continued their pursuit into Transjordan. Judges 8:13 states that 'Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle by the ascent of Heres.' This 'ascent of Heres' (also translated 'pass of Heres') appears to refer to a mountain pass east of the Jordan River used during the military campaign. The name Heres means 'sun,' and some scholars have proposed a connection to sun worship or simply a geographic feature named for its orientation. The topographical detail preserves authentic memory of the Transjordanian terrain traversed during the Midianite campaign. Gideon's punitive actions at Succoth and Penuel upon his return, and the subsequent capture and execution of the Midianite kings, belong to this same narrative sequence. Heres thus marks a transitional waypoint in one of the most celebrated military deliverances in the book of Judges.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
The precise location of Heres or the 'ascent of Heres' remains uncertain. The modern reference point of Transjordan reflects the general geographical area rather than a specific site. Various scholars have proposed locations among the passes and ridges of the central Transjordanian highlands, east of the Jordan and north of the Jabbok. The Transjordanian plateau has been surveyed by the Madaba Plains Project and other initiatives, identifying numerous Iron Age sites corresponding to the period of the Judges. Without a firm topographical identification preserved in a modern place name, Heres cannot be located with precision. The 'ascent' terminology suggests a specific mountain path or pass rather than a settlement, complicating archaeological identification.
Verse Appearances (1)
Judg
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →