Iphtah
Iphtah is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Tarqumiyeh. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Iphtah is a city listed among the towns allotted to the tribe of Judah in the western foothills (Shephelah) district, as recorded in Joshua 15:43. It appears in a group of towns that includes Jiphtah-el, Ashnah, and Nezib, all located in the lowland region between the Judean hill country and the coastal plain. The Shephelah was a strategically important zone, serving as a buffer between the Israelites in the highlands and the Philistines on the coastal plain. Towns in this region frequently changed hands during the centuries of conflict between these two peoples. Though Iphtah receives only a single mention in Scripture, its inclusion in the detailed inventory of Judah's cities demonstrates the thoroughness of the tribal allotment system established under Joshua. The Shephelah towns collectively played a vital defensive role for the kingdom of Judah, guarding the approaches to the hill country and the royal capital of Jerusalem. Many significant biblical battles, from the Philistine wars of Saul and David to the Assyrian campaigns of Sennacherib, were fought across this contested landscape.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Iphtah has been identified with Tarqumiyeh (also spelled Tarqumia), a village located in the Shephelah region of the southern West Bank, approximately eight kilometers west-northwest of Hebron. The site sits at the edge of the Judean foothills where they meet the coastal lowlands, consistent with its listing among the Shephelah towns of Judah. Archaeological surveys in the Tarqumiyeh area have documented pottery and architectural remains from the Iron Age and later periods. The wider Shephelah region has been extensively surveyed and excavated, with sites like Lachish, Azekah, and Beth-shemesh providing rich comparative data for understanding settlement patterns in Judah's western frontier. Tarqumiyeh itself has not been the subject of major excavation, though its continuous habitation preserves the ancient settlement's general location.
Verse Appearances (1)
Josh
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →