Kedesh

Joshua gives the name Kedesh to a town in Galilee, in the hill country of Naphtali. It turns up in the list of kings Israel defeated, and again when the land is divided and certain cities are set apart as refuge for someone who killed by accident: “they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali.” Centuries later, 2 Kings 15:29 shows the same region under pressure, as Tiglathpileser king of Assyria took Kedesh and “carried them captive to Assyria.” The name is a small marker of a place that sees conquest, safety and exile in turn. Joshua 20 explains the cities of refuge.

5 verses

Joshua

Joshua 12:22

The king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one;

Joshua 19:20

And Rabbith, and Kishion, and Abez,

Joshua 20:7

And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.

Joshua 21:28

And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with her suburbs, Dabareh with her suburbs,

2 Kings

2 Kings 15:29

In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Sanctuary. (1.) A place in the extreme south of Judah (Josh. 15:23). Probably the same as Kadesh-barnea (q.v.).

(2.) A city of Issachar (1 Chr. 6:72). Possibly Tell Abu Kadeis, near Lejjun.

(3.) A “fenced city” of Naphtali, one of the cities of refuge (Josh. 19:37; Judg. 4:6). It was assigned to the Gershonite Levites (Josh. 21:32). It was originally a Canaanite royal city (Josh. 12:22), and was the residence of Barak (Judg. 4:6); and here he and Deborah assembled the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali before the commencement of the conflict with Sisera in the plain of Esdraelon, “for Jehovah among the mighty” (9, 10). In the reign of Pekah it was taken by Tiglath-Pileser (2 Kings 15:29). It was situated near the “plain” (rather “the oak”) of Zaanaim, and has been identified with the modern Kedes, on the hills fully four miles north-west of Lake El Huleh.

Read the full entry

It has been supposed by some that the Kedesh of the narrative, where Barak assembled his troops, was not the place in Upper Galilee so named, which was 30 miles distant from the plain of Esdraelon, but Kedish, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, 12 miles from Tabor.

From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(a sanctuary).

(1.) In the extreme south of Judah, (Joshua 15:23) same as Kadesh and Kadesh-barnea.

(2.) A city of Issachar, allotted to the Gershonite Levites. (1 Chronicles 6:72) The Kadesh mentioned among the cities whose kings were slain by Joshua, (Joshua 12:22) in company with Megiddo and Jokneam of Carmel, would seem to have been this city of Issachar.

(3.) Kedesh; also Kedesh in Galilee; and once, (Judges 4:6) Kedesh-naphtali, one of the fortified cities of the tribe of Naphtali, named between Hazor and Edrei, (Joshua 19:37) appointed as a city of refuge, and allotted with its "suburbs" to the Gershonite Levites. (Joshua 20:7; 21:32; 1 Chronicles 6:76) It was the residence of Barak, (Judges 4:6) and there he and Deborah assembled the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali before the conflict, being probably, as its name implies, a "holy place" of great antiquity. It was taken by Tiglath-pileser in the reign of Pekah. (2 Kings 15:29) It is identified with the village Kades , which lies four miles to the northwest of the upper part of the Sea of Merom.