On
On is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Egypt in modern-day Egypt. Known today as Ain Shams. It appears across 5 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
On, known to the Greeks as Heliopolis ("City of the Sun"), was one of the most important religious centers of ancient Egypt. It first appears in Scripture in Genesis 41:45, where Pharaoh gives Joseph a wife named Asenath, "daughter of Potiphera priest of On," elevating Joseph's status within Egyptian society. This marriage connected the patriarch to one of Egypt's most prestigious priestly families. On appears again in Genesis 41:50 and 46:20, each time identifying Asenath's priestly lineage. The prophet Jeremiah references the city under its Hebrew name in Jeremiah 43:13, prophesying that Nebuchadnezzar would destroy "the sacred pillars of the temple of the sun in the land of Egypt." Ezekiel 30:17 similarly prophesies judgment against "the young men of Aven" (a wordplay on On meaning "wickedness"), declaring they would fall by the sword. Isaiah 19:18 may allude to the city as well. On's biblical significance lies in its connection to Joseph's integration into Egyptian culture and as a symbol of Egyptian idolatry destined for divine judgment.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
On is identified with the ancient Egyptian city of Iunu, located at modern-day Ain Shams (also called Matariya), a northeastern suburb of Cairo. It was the center of worship for the sun god Ra and home to a renowned school of priests and astronomers. Very little of the ancient city survives above ground due to centuries of urban development. The most notable remaining monument is a red granite obelisk of Senusret I (12th Dynasty, ca. 1950 BC), still standing at its original site. Scattered archaeological finds include temple foundations and fragments of statuary. Italian and Egyptian archaeological missions have conducted intermittent excavations, uncovering remnants of the great sun temple precinct.
Verse Appearances (6)
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- OpenBible.info (n.d.) Bible Geocoding. Available at: https://www.openbible.info/geo/. [CC BY 4.0]
- Bagnall, R. et al. (eds.) (n.d.) Pleiades: A Gazetteer of Past Places. Available at: https://pleiades.stoa.org. [CC BY 3.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Lawrence, D. et al. (2025) Villages to Empires: a settlement dataset for the Southern Levant. doi:10.5281/zenodo.15111732. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]