Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadMcClintock Biblical Encyclopedia: Enam
Subjects in this Topic:
(Hebrews with the art. ha-Eynam', äָòֵéðָí , doubtless a contraction for
äָòֵéðִéַí , the two springs; Sept. ᾿ÇíÜúì v.r. ᾿Çíáåßì and Ìáéáíß , Vulg. Enaim), a city in the lowlands of Judah, mentioned between Tappuah and Jarmuth (Jos_15:34). From its mention with towns (Jarmuth and Eshtaol for instance) which are known to have been near Timnath, this is very probably the place in the "entrance" of which (perhaps at a fork of the road) Tamar sat to intercept her father-in-law on his way to Timnath (Gen_38:14), ( ôֶּúִç òֵéðִéַí , pe'thach Eyna'yim, i.e., doorway of Enaim, or the double spring; Sept. áἱ ðýëáé ÁἰíÜí , Vulg. bivium itineris, A.V. "an open place;" comp. Reland, Palest, page 761). Eusebius and Jerome (Onomast. s.v. ᾿Çíáßì , Enaim) state that it was "still a village Betheninm ( Âåèåíßì ) near the terebinth;" meaning probably "Abraham's oak," 22 miles S. of Jerusalem (ib. s.v. Á᾿ñêώ , Arboch), near Hebron (Robinson, Res. 2:443). Schwarz in like manner identifies Enam with "the village Beth-Ani, distant 21 English miles from Saafir" (Palest. page 102); meaning apparently Beit-Anur, which is laid down on Van de Velde's Map at that distance S.W. of Bir es-Zafaraneh, in the region N.E. of Hebron. But this site is appropriated to Beth-anoth (q.v.), with which the similarity of names has doubtless caused these authors to confuse Enam. The place in question lay in the group of cities situated N.W. of Hebron, on the border of the tribe of Dan (Keil, Comment. on Joshua in loc.). It is perhaps the present Deir el-Butm, with a well adjoining, laid down by Van de Velde (Map) a little beyond Deir Dubibai, N. of Eleutheropolis.