Kartan
Kartan is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Phoenicia in modern-day Israel. Known today as Khirbet el Qureiyeh. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Kartan appears in 1 Chronicles 6:76 as a Levitical city assigned to the Gershomite (or Gershonite) clan of the Levites from the territory of the tribe of Naphtali. The passage lists Kartan alongside Kedesh and Hammon as cities given to the Gershomites in Naphtali's allotment. Kartan is widely understood to be the same city called Kiriathaim in other textual traditions, the name meaning "double city." The Levitical city system, ordained in Numbers 35, distributed the priestly tribe across all of Israel's tribal territories. By placing Levites in the far northern territory of Naphtali, God ensured that even the most remote Israelite communities had access to religious instruction and priestly ministry. The Gershomites, as descendants of Levi's firstborn son Gershon, were charged with caring for the tabernacle coverings and hangings (Numbers 3:25-26). Kartan's location in the upper Galilee region made it part of the spiritual infrastructure sustaining covenant faithfulness at Israel's northern frontier.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Kartan is tentatively identified with Khirbet el-Qureiyeh in the upper Galilee, within the ancient territory of Naphtali. Some scholars equate it with the Kiriathaim of Joshua 21:32, understanding the two names as variants of the same settlement. The site has received limited archaeological investigation, and firm identification remains uncertain. The upper Galilee region is characterized by rugged limestone hills and seasonal streams, with scattered Iron Age settlement evidence documented through surveys. The area was part of the territory conquered by Tiglath-Pileser III in 732 BC, and its population was deported to Assyria (2 Kings 15:29). No monumental remains or inscriptions confirming the site as Kartan have been recovered.
Verse Appearances (1)
Josh
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →