Lexical Summary En Tappuach: En Tappuach Original Word: עֵין תַּפּוּחַ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance En-tappuah From ayin and tappuwach; fountain of an apple-tree; En-Tappuach, a place in Palestine -- En-tappuah. see HEBREW ayin see HEBREW tappuwach NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ayin and tappuach Definition "place of an apple tree," a city in Ephraim NASB Translation En-tappuah (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs עָבוֺת adjective having interwoven foliage, leafy; — עֵץ עָבוֺת leafy trees Ezekiel 20:28; Nehemiah 8:15; עֵץ עָבֹת Leviticus 23:40 (H); feminine אֵלָה עֲבֻתָּה Ezekiel 6:13 a leafy terebinth. — עָבוֺת 2 Samuel 23:4; Psalm 77:18 see II. עָב below עוּב. עֵין תַּמּוּחַ proper name, of a location see III. תַּמּוּחַ below נפח. Topical Lexicon Biblical Setting En Tappuah appears once in Scripture, Joshua 17:7, within the description of the southern border of the half-tribe of Manasseh: “The border of Manasseh went from Asher to Michmethath, which lies east of Shechem, and continued southward to the settlements of En Tappuah” (Berean Standard Bible). The single mention links the site to the division of the Promised Land, when Joshua delineated tribal inheritances west of the Jordan. Geographical Location The spring was adjacent to the city of Tappuah. The verse distinguishes the water source (“En” meaning spring) from the neighboring town, indicating a strategic oasis on the hill-country slope that faces the central watershed route. Modern scholarship places it near present-day Yasuf or the environs of modern Tappuah (Kifl Hares), roughly eight miles south of ancient Shechem. Its location on the boundary line underscores the importance of water sources in defining territorial limits and sustaining agricultural life in the rugged highlands of Ephraim and Manasseh. Historical Context 1. Period of Conquest and Settlement: En Tappuah enters the record as Israel transitions from wilderness wanderers to a land-holding nation. The careful catalog of boundaries in Joshua validates that the promises made to Abraham were concretely fulfilled under Joshua’s leadership. Theological Significance • Covenant Faithfulness: Listing a single spring in the allotment underscores the meticulous faithfulness of God. Every promise down to minor geographic particulars was honored (Joshua 21:45). Lessons for Today 1. Trust in Specific Promises: Just as God secured an obscure spring for Manasseh, He keeps the smallest detail of His Word. Related Scriptures Joshua 17:14-18 – Manasseh requests additional land, revealing ongoing tension over territory. Jeremiah 2:13 – God rebukes Judah for forsaking “the fountain of living water.” John 4:14 – Jesus promises water that becomes “a well of water springing up to eternal life.” Hebrews 4:8 – Joshua’s rest foreshadows the fuller rest in Christ. Summary Though mentioned only once, En Tappuah functions as a tangible witness to God’s exacting fulfillment of covenant promises, a practical safeguard for tribal peace, and a symbol of divine provision that finds ultimate expression in the living water offered by Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations תַּפּֽוּחַ׃ תפוח׃ tap·pū·aḥ tapPuach tappūaḥLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 17:7 HEB: יֹשְׁבֵ֖י עֵ֥ין תַּפּֽוּחַ׃ NAS: to the inhabitants of En-tappuah. KJV: unto the inhabitants of Entappuah. INT: to the inhabitants of En-tappuah 1 Occurrence |
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