Nibshan
Nibshan is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Khirbet el Maqari. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Nibshan is mentioned exclusively in Joshua 15:62, where it appears among six cities assigned to the tribe of Judah in the wilderness district. This desert region, known as the Midbar Yehudah, stretched along the western shore of the Dead Sea and included the barren yet strategically important terrain between the Judean highlands and the Jordan Rift Valley. Nibshan is listed alongside the City of Salt, En Gedi, and other wilderness settlements, indicating it was part of a network of outposts that controlled access routes through the Judean Desert. Though no narratives describe events at Nibshan, its inclusion in Judah's tribal allotment demonstrates the thoroughness of the land distribution under Joshua, encompassing even the most remote and inhospitable areas. The wilderness of Judah would later become a place of refuge for David fleeing from Saul, and these settlements may have served as supply points for those traversing the harsh desert landscape between the central hill country and the Dead Sea basin.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Nibshan has been tentatively identified with Khirbet el-Maqari, situated in the Buqei'ah Valley (Valley of Achor) in the northern Judean Desert. Archaeological surveys by Frank Cross and J. T. Milik in the 1950s discovered three Iron Age II settlements in this valley, and Khirbet el-Maqari was proposed as ancient Nibshan. The site revealed remains of rectangular structures, agricultural installations, and water management systems dating to the 8th-7th centuries BCE, suggesting a planned agricultural settlement in this arid region. The proximity to Qumran and the Dead Sea scrolls caves has generated additional scholarly interest. The harsh desert environment has preserved some architectural remains, though the site has not undergone comprehensive excavation.
Verse Appearances (1)
Josh
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →