Mishal
Mishal is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Galilee in modern-day Israel. Known today as Tell Keisan. It appears across 3 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Mishal, also spelled Misheal, was a city in the tribal territory of Asher along the northern coastal plain of Israel. It first appears in Joshua 19:26 as one of the cities allocated to the tribe of Asher during the division of the Promised Land. Mishal was later designated as a Levitical city, assigned to the Gershonite clan of the Levites (Joshua 21:30), underscoring its religious significance within the tribal allotment. In the parallel account in 1 Chronicles 6:74, the city is listed as Mashal among the Levitical cities given from the tribe of Asher. The assignment of cities like Mishal to the Levites fulfilled God's instruction that the priestly tribe, which received no territorial inheritance, would be distributed throughout Israel to serve the spiritual needs of all the tribes. Mishal's location in Asher's territory, near the fertile Plain of Acco, placed it in a region of agricultural abundance along the Mediterranean coast, though it was also an area where Canaanite influence persisted and complete Israelite settlement proved challenging.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Mishal is commonly identified with Tell Keisan (Tel Kison), a prominent archaeological mound located in the Acco Plain approximately eight kilometers southeast of the modern city of Acre in northern Israel. French excavations at Tell Keisan, conducted between 1971 and 1980 under the direction of Jean Briend and Jean-Baptiste Humbert, revealed continuous occupation from the Early Bronze Age through the Hellenistic period. Significant Iron Age remains include fortifications, domestic structures, and abundant pottery assemblages. The site's stratigraphy demonstrates the cultural transitions between Canaanite, Phoenician, and Israelite influences in the region. Tell Keisan's strategic position on the route between the coast and the Jezreel Valley supports its identification with the biblically significant city. The tell remains an unexcavated archaeological site surrounded by agricultural land.
Verse Appearances (3)
1Chr
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →