DOTHAN
DOTHAN
Or DOTHAIN, the place where Josephus was sold to the Ishmaelites, Gen 37:17, and where the Syrians were smitten with blindness at Elisha’s word, 2Ki 6:13 . It was on the caravan-route from Syria to Egypt, about eleven miles north of Samaria.
Fuente: American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
Dothan
(Hebrews Dothan’, , contracted for , two cisterns, which occurs with directive, Dotha’yenah, , “to Dathan,” Gen 37:17 [first clause]; Sept. and v, the latter in Judith; Vulg. Dothain), the place where Joseph found his brethren, who had wandered thither with their flocks from Shechem, and where he was treacherously sold by them to the Ishmaelites (Gen 37:17). It next appears as the residence of Elisha, and the scene of a remarkable vision of horses and chariots of fire surrounding “the mountain” () on which the city stood, while the Syrians were smitten with blindness at the word of Elisha (2Ki 6:13). It is not again mentioned in the O.T. (Reland, Palaest. page 739); but later still we encounter it then evidently well known as a landmark in the account of Holofernes’s campaign against Bethulia (Jdt 4:6; Jdt 7:3; Jdt 7:18; Jdt 8:3). In the Vat., and Alex., and Vulg. text it is also mentioned in Jdt 3:9, where the A.V. has “Judaea” ( for ). This passage was a great puzzle to the old geographers, not only from the corrupt reading, , but also from the expression, still found in the text, ; A.V. “the great strait,” literally, “the great saw.” The knot was cut by Reland, who conjectured most ingeniously that was the translation of Massor = a saw, which was a corruption of , Mishor” the plain” (Palaest. page 742 sq.). All these passages testify to its situation being in the center of the country, near the southern edge of the great plain of Esdraelon. Dothan is placed by Eusebius and Jerome twelve Roman miles north of Sebaste; or Samaria (Onomast. s.v. , Dothaim). The well into which Joseph was cast by his brothers, and consequently the site of Dothan, has, however, been placed by tradition in a very distant quarter, namely, about three miles south-east from Safed, where there is a khan called Khan Jubb Yusuf, the Khan of Joseph’s Pit, because the well connected with it has long passed among Christians and Moslems for the well in question (Robinson, Res. 3:317). The true site of Dothan was known to the Jewish traveler Rabbi ha-Parchi, A.D. 1300 (see Zunz’s extracts in notes to Benjamin of Tudela, Asher’s ed. 2:434), and to Schwarz, A.D. 1845 (Palest. page 168); but neither of these travelers gives any account of the site. It was accidentally discovered in 1852 by Van de Velde (Narrative, 1:364-369). Dr. Robinson, in his last visit to Palestine, likewise identified the true site of Dothan in the modern name Dothan, a place which he found in the middle of a beautiful plain extending south-westerly from Kefr Kud (Capharcotia) to Attil, southeast of Lejjunm. He thus speaks of it: “It is now a fine green tell (knoll), with a fountain on its southern base, corresponding entirely to the position assigned to it by Eusebius. We were told at Ya’bad that the great road from Beisan and Zer’in to Ramleh and Egypt still leads through this plain, entering it west of Jenin, passing near Kefr Kud, and bending south-westward around Ya’bud to the western plain. It is easy to see, therefore, that the Midianites, to whom Joseph was sold in Dothan, had crossed the Jordan at Beisin, and were proceeding to Egypt along the ordinary road. It is obvious, too, that Joseph’s brethren well knew the best places for pasturage. They had exhausted that of the Mukna by Shechem (Nablus), and had afterwards repaired to the still finer pastures here around Dothan”‘(Bibliotheca Sacra, 1853, pages 122, 123).
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Dothan (2)
The latest description of this interesting site is by Lieut. Conder (Tent-work in Palestine, 1:107):
“By noon we reached Dothan, the scene of Joseph’s betrayal by his brethren, and halted under a spreading fig-tree beside a long cactus hedge. Just north of us was the well called Bir-el-Htfireh (‘Well of the Pit’), and east of us a second, with a water-trough, thus accounting for the name Dothan, ‘two wells.’ Above the wells on the north rises the shapeless mound where the town once stood, and on the wet spread the dark-brown plain of Arrfnbeh, across which runs the main Egyptian road the road by which the armies of Thothmes and Necllo came up from the sea-coast, and by which the Midianitish merchants went down with their captive. The cattle stood by the well, huddling in the shade, waiting to be watered, and rude cowherds and goatherds gathered around us in groups, which were, no doubt, not far different in dress or language from Joseph’s brethren four thousand years ago.”
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Dothan
two wells, a famous pasture-ground where Joseph found his brethren watching their flocks. Here, at the suggestion of Judah, they sold him to the Ishmaelite merchants (Gen. 37:17). It is mentioned on monuments in B.C. 1600.
It was the residence of Elisha (2 Kings 6:13), and the scene of a remarkable vision of chariots and horses of fire surrounding the mountain on which the city stood. It is identified with the modern Tell-Dothan, on the south side of the plain of Jezreel, about 12 miles north of Samaria, among the hills of Gilboa. The “two wells” are still in existence, one of which bears the name of the “pit of Joseph” (Jubb Yusuf).
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Dothan
DOTHAN or DOTHAIN. (“two wells”.) At it Joseph was put into a well pit (from whence it derived its name) become dry, and afterward sold to Ishmaelite merchants who traveled that route between Syria and Egypt (Gen 37:17); near Shechem. Elisha’s place of sojourn, when the Syrian king invested the city with horses and chariots, to Gehazi’s dismay; but “the mountain” whereon it stood he saw, when the Lord opened his eyes, to be “full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha” (2Ki 6:13-18). Situated in the center of the country near the S. edge of the Esdraelon plain, from which hills extending from Carmel range separate it. The ruins on a large tell or mound mark the place, Dotan; beneath the S. side is a spring. Close by is an ancient road with massive pavement running N. and S. To this day there are numerous cisterns hewn in the rock, and bottle shaped with hallow mouth, such as egress, would be impossible from without help. Into such a pit doubtless Joseph was cast here.
Fuente: Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
Dothan
DOTHAN (Gen 37:17, 2Ki 6:13-18; Dota, Jdt 3:9; Dothaim, Jdt 4:6 etc.).To-day, Tell Dothan, a remarkable isolated hill at the S.E. corner of a great plain Sahl Arrbeh; surrounded on three sides by hills (2Ki 6:17). Clearly a place suitable for defence, it must have been of importance when the neighbouring high-road, still much used, was a main thoroughfare from Damascus to Egypt. The situation is, too, a choice one on account of its abundant fountain, now used to work a mill and irrigate fruit gardens; two ancient wells and a number of empty cisterns (Gen 37:24) are also found near the foot of the tell. Great herds of cattle, sheep, and goats from the neighbouring abundant pastures, may always be found gathered there in the afternoon drinking from the water and browsing in the shade. Although there are no ancient remains on the surface, traces of walls may be seen all around the hill top.
E. W. G. Masterman.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Dothan
dothan (, dothayn, , dothan, two wells, double feast; , Dothaeim): A place to the North of Shechem whither Jacob’s sons went for pasture for the flocks; where Joseph who followed them was sold to the Ishmaelites, after having been imprisoned in a pit (Gen 37:17). Here in later days the eyes of Elisha’s servant were opened to see the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire, guarding his master from the encircling Syrians (2Ki 6:13). This is certainly to be identified with Tell Dothan, which lies on the East of the ancient road leading from Gilead across Esdraelon to the seacoast, and thence to Egypt. It is about 5 miles to the Southwest of Jenn. There are some traces of old buildings, two cisterns – Dothayin or Dothayim = two cisterns or pits – and one copious spring. Excellent pasture is found in the surrounding plain, and on the adjoining slopes.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Dothan
Dothan or Dothaim, the place where Joseph found his brethren, who had wandered thither with their flocks from Shechem, and where he was treacherously sold by them to the Ishmaelites (Gen 37:17). It was here also that the Syrians were smitten with blindness at the word of Elisha (2Ki 6:13). Dothan is placed by Eusebius and Jerome twelve Roman miles north of Sebaste or Samaria, and it was obviously on the caravan track from Syria to Egypt. The well into which Joseph was cast by his brothers, and consequently the site of Dothan, has, however, been placed by tradition in a very distant quarter, namely, about three miles southeast from Safed, where there is a khan called Khan Jubb Yusuf, the Khan of Joseph’s Pit, because the well connected with it has long passed among Christians and Muslims for the well in question.
Fuente: Popular Cyclopedia Biblical Literature
Dothan
[Do’than]
City of Manasseh, west of the Jordan. Gen 37:17; 2Ki 6:13. Identified with Tell Dothan, 32 25′ N, 35 14′ E.
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Dothan
H1886
A district and town in Palestine
Gen 37:17
Syrian army made blind at
2Ki 6:13-19
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
Dothan
Dothan (d’than), two cisterns. Where Joseph found his brethren, Gen 37:17, and Elisha resided. 2Ki 6:13. It was on the south side of the plain of Jezreel, 12 miles north of Samaria; now called Tel-Dothn, five miles southwest of Jenin. Numerous bottled-shaped cisterns hewn in the rock are still found, which are supposed to resemble the “pit” of Gen 37:24. Caravans still pass this place, as of old, on their way from Damascus to Egypt.
Fuente: People’s Dictionary of the Bible
Dothan
Do’than. (two wells). A place first mentioned, Gen 37:17, in connection with the history of Joseph, and apparently as in the neighborhood of Shechem. It next appears as the residence of Elisha. 2Ki 6:13. It was known to Eusebius, who places it 12 miles to the north of Sebaste (Samaria); and here it has been discovered in our own times, still bearing its ancient name unimpaired.
Fuente: Smith’s Bible Dictionary
DOTHAN
a district and town near Samaria
Gen 37:17; 2Ki 6:13