Places in the Bible Today:

Balah

Data

Translated NameBalah
Typesettlement
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

2 Possible Identifications

  1. another name for Baalah 1 (ancient): 70% confidence. It may be:

    1. satellite view of the region around Tulul el MedbahTulul el Medbah

    2. panorama of the region including Beer YerohamBeer Yeroham

    3. artifact from Tel MalhataTel Malhata

    4. satellite view of the region around Tel MasosTel Masos

    5. satellite view of the region around Tel IraTel Ira

    6. ruins at Horbat UzaHorbat Uza

    7. panorama of Wadi el Qeinialong Wadi el Qeini

    8. historical cityscape of Al MagharAl Maghar

    9. satellite view of the region around Horbat TayyavHorbat Tayyav

    10. aerial panorama of the Nahal Avnon FortressNahal Avnon Fortress

    11. satellite view of the region around Keslawithin 1 km of Kesla

    12. church at Deir el AzarDeir el Azar

    13. satellite view of the region around Khirbet es SiyyaghKhirbet es Siyyagh

    14. cave at Arak IsmainArak Ismain

    15. ruins at Bayt ItabBayt Itab

    16. panorama of MugharMughar

    17. ruins at QatraQatra

    18. ruins at En HazevaEn Hazeva

  2. another name for Bilhah (ancient): 30% confidence. It may be:

    1. satellite view of the region around Tulul el MedbahTulul el Medbah

    2. panorama of the region including Beer YerohamBeer Yeroham

    3. artifact from Tel MalhataTel Malhata

    4. satellite view of the region around Tel MasosTel Masos

    5. satellite view of the region around Tel IraTel Ira

    6. ruins at Horbat UzaHorbat Uza

    7. panorama of Wadi el Qeinialong Wadi el Qeini

    8. historical cityscape of Al MagharAl Maghar

    9. satellite view of the region around Horbat TayyavHorbat Tayyav

    10. aerial panorama of the Nahal Avnon FortressNahal Avnon Fortress

    11. church at Deir el AzarDeir el Azar

    12. satellite view of the region around Keslawithin 1 km of Kesla

    13. satellite view of the region around Khirbet es SiyyaghKhirbet es Siyyagh

    14. cave at Arak IsmainArak Ismain

    15. ruins at Bayt ItabBayt Itab

    16. panorama of MugharMughar

    17. ruins at QatraQatra

    18. ruins at En HazevaEn Hazeva

Verses (1)

Josh 19:3

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Logos FactbookBalah
OpenBible.info (2007)Balah
OpenBible.infoa8ac29f (Balah)
TIPNRBalah@Jos.19.3
UBS Names Databaseot ID_538
WikipediaBaalah (partial)

Sources

  1. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Balah (place)
  2. Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2013): Balah
  3. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Balah
  4. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Balah
  5. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1984): Josh 19:3-6
  6. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Balah
  7. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2003)
  8. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Balah
  9. McKinny, Historical Geography of the Administrative Division of Judah (2014): page 96
  10. Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2014): Balah
  11. New Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary (2009)
  12. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988): Balah
  13. Reader’s Digest Atlas of the Bible (1981): Balah
  14. Tyndale Bible Dictionary (2001): Balah
  15. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Balah
  16. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975): Balah
  17. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others (in this case, another name for Baalah 1), then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2019, Mboesch, Gary Todd, Lior Golgher, Lior Golgher, Anonymous, Amos Meron, Bahnfrend, savion29, Danny Lyulev, Ori~, Bukvoed, Bukvoed

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.