Laishah
Laishah is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Isawiya. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Laishah appears once in Scripture, in Isaiah 10:30, within a vivid prophetic oracle describing the Assyrian army's advance toward Jerusalem. The prophet calls out to the towns in the invader's path: 'Cry aloud, O daughter of Gallim! Give attention, O Laishah! O poor Anathoth!' This literary catalogue traces the Assyrian march from the north, naming villages that would tremble as the enemy approached. Laishah, situated north of Jerusalem in the territory of Benjamin, lay directly in the path of any army descending from the north toward the holy city. The passage powerfully conveys the terror of the Assyrian threat while simultaneously pointing to God's sovereign control, for the oracle concludes with the Lord cutting down the Assyrian forces before they can take Jerusalem (Isaiah 10:33-34). Laishah's mention in this context makes it a witness to both human vulnerability and divine deliverance, a small town caught in the sweep of empire yet encompassed by the promises of God to preserve Zion.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Laishah is commonly identified with the village of Isawiya (el-Isawiyeh), located northeast of Jerusalem on the road from the north. This identification, proposed by Edward Robinson and supported by subsequent scholars, fits well with the geographical sequence of towns described in Isaiah 10:28-32, tracing the Assyrian approach from Aiath (Ai) through Migron, Michmash, Geba, and onward toward Jerusalem. The modern village of Isawiya sits on the slopes of Mount Scopus. Archaeological surveys in the area have found pottery from the Iron Age, supporting habitation during the period of Isaiah's prophecy. The site has not been extensively excavated, as it is overlaid by the modern Palestinian village.
Verse Appearances (1)
Isa
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →