GATH-RIMMON

(Gath-rimʹmon) [Winepress by the Pomegranate Tree].

1. A city of Dan (Jos 19:40, 41, 45) assigned to the Kohathite Levites. (Jos 21:20, 23, 24) First Chronicles 6:66-70 appears to make Gath-rimmon an Ephraimite city. However, on the basis of the parallel account at Joshua 21:23, 24, Hebrew scholars believe that, because of scribal error, a portion of the text has accidentally dropped out and been lost. So, they suggest inserting the following (corresponding to Jos 21:23) before 1 Chronicles 6:69: “And from the tribe of Dan, Elteke and its pasture ground, Gibbethon and its pasture ground . . . ” This could have been the original reading. However, not to be overlooked is the possibility that Gath-rimmon was a Danite enclave city located within Ephraim’s territory.

Gath-rimmon is usually identified with Tell Jerisheh (Tel Gerisa), about 8 km (5 mi) NE of modern Tel Aviv-Yafo.

2. A city of Manasseh, given to the Kohathite Levites. (Jos 21:20, 25) Since the similar account at 1 Chronicles 6:70 has “Bileam,” many scholars believe this latter name originally appeared in place of Gath-rimmon at Joshua 21:25.​—See IBLEAM.