Thebes (Hastings' Dictionary)
See No-Amon, vol. iii. p. 555. THEBEZ (l-SB 'brightness' (?) ; B Gij/S^s, ea/mffl, A Qailiais, Qafuurei ; Thebes). — The place at which Abimelech was killed by a millstone which a woman threw dovni upon him from a tower that was holding out after the city had been taken (J" 9™, 2S 11^'; Jos. Ant. v. vii. 5). Eusebius and Jerome (Ononi.) say that in their day there was a village called Thebes, about 13 Rom. miles from Neapolis, on the road to Scythopolis. The Roman road from N. to S.
can still be traced, and on it, about 10 miles from Adblus, is 'I'libiis, which Robinson was the first to identify with Thebez (BliP- ii. 317, iii. 305). Tiibds is a large village, surrounded bj' olive groves and comlields, on tlie western slope of a broad fertile valley. Its oil and corn are held in high estimation ; and the villagers, wlio are divided into three factions, own large flocks of sheep and goats.
There are numerous rock-hewn cisterns, on which the people depend for their water-supply; and rock-hewB dwelling-places, of which many are still occupied. There is a tomb of Xebi/ Toba in the village, which the Samaritans believe to be that of Asher, son of Jacob. The village .sutl'ered greatly from the earthquake of 1837 (PEF Mem. ii. 247 ; Gucrin, Samarie, i. 357 ; Baedeker-Socin, Pal.* 224). C. W. Wilson.
This topic also has an entry in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Both articles offer independent scholarly perspectives.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Thebes
Thebes thebz. ⇒See the definition of the in the KJV Dictionary See NO-AMON. ⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia.
Smith's Bible Dictionary on Thebes
(Authorized Version No, the multitude of No. populous No), a chief cite of ancient Egypt, long the capital of the upper country, and the seat of the Diospolitan dynasties, that ruled over all Egypt at the era of its highest splendor. It was situated on both sides of the Nile, 400 or 500 miles from its mouth. The sacred name of Thebes was P-amen “the abode of Amon,” which the Greeks reproduced in their Diospolis, especially with the addition the Great . No-amon is the name of Thebes in the Hebrew Scriptures. (Jeremiah 46:25; Nahum 3:8) Ezekiel uses No simply to designate the Egyptian seat of Amon. (Ezekiel 30:14,16) [No-Amon] its origin and early allusions to it.—The origin of the city is lost in antiquity. Niebuhr is of opinion that Thebes was much older than Memphis, and that, “after the centre of Egyptian life was transferred to lower Egypt, Memphis acquired its greatness through the ruin of Thebes.” But both cities date from our earliest authentic knowledge of Egyptian history. The first allusion to Thebes in classical literature is the familiar passage of the Iliad (ix. 381-385):…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia