Timnath-serah
Timnath-serah is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Samaria in modern-day Israel. Known today as Khirbet Tibnah. It appears across 3 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Timnath-serah holds a uniquely personal significance in the biblical narrative as the inheritance and burial place of Joshua, son of Nun, the great military leader who brought Israel into Canaan. The city is introduced in Joshua 19:50 when, after distributing tribal territories, the Israelites gave Joshua a city of his own choosing: "By the command of the LORD they gave him the city he asked for, Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim." Joshua rebuilt the city and settled there. After leading Israel's conquest and presiding over the covenant renewal at Shechem, Joshua died at the age of 110, and was buried "in the territory of his inheritance at Timnath-serah" (Joshua 24:30; cf. Judges 2:9). The site thus marks both the beginning and end of Joshua's post-conquest life. As the resting place of Moses's successor — the man who embodied Israel's crossing from wilderness wandering into promised rest — Timnath-serah carries deep theological resonance. Its location in the central Ephraimite highlands placed it near the heart of Israelite settlement and made it an enduring memorial to faithful leadership.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Timnath-serah is widely identified with Khirbet Tibnah (also written Tibneh), located in the hill country of Ephraim approximately 24 kilometers southwest of Nablus. The Arabic toponym preserves a clear echo of the ancient Hebrew name. The site features significant rock-cut tombs of the Iron Age period, and early explorers including Edward Robinson in the 19th century noted monumental tomb complexes that some have associated with Joshua's burial. Roman-period sarcophagi were also found at the site. Systematic excavation has been limited, but surface surveys confirm Bronze and Iron Age occupation consistent with the biblical narrative.
Verse Appearances (3)
Judg
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →