Lakkum
Lakkum is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Galilee in modern-day Israel. Known today as Horbat Kush. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Lakkum appears in a single verse, Joshua 19:33, where it is named as a border point in the tribal allotment of Naphtali. The passage describes the boundary running 'from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, and Adami-nekeb, and Jabneel, to Lakkum, and it ended at the Jordan.' As a boundary marker on the southern edge of Naphtali's territory near the Jordan River, Lakkum helped define one of the northernmost tribal inheritances in the Promised Land. The tribe of Naphtali received a territory blessed with fertile land in the Galilee region, about which Moses prophesied, 'O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full of the blessing of the Lord, possess the lake and the south' (Deuteronomy 33:23). Though no specific historical events are recorded at Lakkum, its role in demarcating the tribal boundaries reflects the ordered fulfillment of God's land promise. The careful delineation of borders for each tribe demonstrated that the inheritance was not haphazard but divinely apportioned through the casting of lots before the Lord.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Lakkum has been identified with Horbat Kush (Khirbet el-Mansura), a site in the lower Galilee region near the Jordan River valley. The identification is based on geographical considerations, as the site fits the described boundary line of Naphtali running toward the Jordan. Surface surveys have recovered pottery from the Bronze and Iron Ages, indicating occupation during the period of Israelite settlement. The site occupies a position overlooking the Jordan Valley, consistent with its role as a border town. No systematic excavations have been conducted. The surrounding Galilee landscape remains agriculturally productive, echoing the biblical descriptions of Naphtali's blessed and fertile inheritance.
Verse Appearances (1)
Josh
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →