Sharuhen
Sharuhen is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Negev in modern-day Israel. Known today as Tall al Ajjul. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Sharuhen appears in Joshua 19:6 as one of the cities allotted to the tribe of Simeon within the larger territory of Judah. The city is listed alongside Beer-sheba, Moladah, and other Simeonite settlements in the Negev region. In the parallel passage of Joshua 15:32, the same city may appear under the name Shilhim, while 1 Chronicles 4:31 lists it as Shaaraim, illustrating the common phenomenon of variant spellings in different biblical manuscripts and traditions. Sharuhen held strategic importance long before the Israelite settlement. Egyptian records identify it as a major Hyksos stronghold that Pharaoh Ahmose I besieged for three years after expelling the Hyksos from Egypt around 1550 BC, demonstrating the city's formidable fortifications. Its assignment to Simeon reflects the tribe's placement in the southern frontier of Israelite territory, where they served as a buffer against threats from the Negev and the coastal Philistine cities. Though Simeon eventually became absorbed into Judah's territory, Sharuhen's inclusion in the tribal allotment represents the extension of God's promised inheritance to the southernmost reaches of Canaan.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Sharuhen's identification is debated among archaeologists, with Tell el-Ajjul (Tall al-Ajjul) being the leading candidate. Located about six kilometers southwest of Gaza on the north bank of the Wadi Ghazzeh (Nahal Besor), Tell el-Ajjul was excavated by Sir Flinders Petrie from 1930 to 1934. The excavations revealed a massive Middle Bronze Age fortified city with glacis defenses, five gold hoards containing elaborate jewelry, and evidence of Egyptian-Canaanite contact. The site's destruction in the mid-16th century BC aligns with Ahmose I's siege of Sharuhen recorded in Egyptian texts. An alternative identification is Tell el-Far'ah South (Tel Sharuhen), excavated by Petrie and later by Eliezer Oren. Both sites show significant Middle Bronze and Late Bronze Age occupation. The debate continues, with Tell el-Ajjul favored by many due to its size and strategic coastal location.
Verse Appearances (1)
Josh
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →