Lesemdan
City in northern Galilee where the shepherd Annas's flock grazes. The sick flock is healed at a distance.
Inhabitants or natives[edit | edit source]
Annas the believing shepherd.
Description[edit | edit source]
Jesus evangelizes along the Syro-Phœnician border, between Achzib and Caesarea Philippi.“Jesus is walking across a very mountainous region. The mountains are not high, but the road runs up and down hills all the time; and there are many torrents”.[1]Later, when he resumes the journey back towards Ptolemais, the shepherd Annas, who has been walking with him for a few days, worries about his sick sheep left at home.
“'And I should leave You here… Are You really not coming to cure my sheep? I believe, too; and I am a proselyte… Promise, at least, that You will come after the Sabbath!'" 'Oh! Annas! Is it possible that you have not yet understood that your sheep were cured when I raised My hand near Lesemdan? You may go, too, to see the miracle and to bless the Lord.'"[2]This is the only time Leshem Dan is mentioned in the entire work.
Its name[edit | edit source]
Lesemdan, Leshem Dan, Laish. Leshem (לָשֶׁם), whose name designates a precious stone, was conquered by the clan of Dan, one of the tribes of Israel, and renamed Dan (דָּן).[3] This name means “judge” in Hebrew. The Book of Judges, recounting the same conquest episode, gives the name Laish (לָיִשׁ)[4] which is likely derived from a word meaning “lion” in Hebrew or in a related Canaanite language.
Where is it mentioned in the work?[edit | edit source]
GRM 330 GRM 331.
Learn more about this place[edit | edit source]
Known today as Tel Dan, Leshem Dan was located 4 km west of Caesarea Philippi, south of the Hermon and near one of the sources of the Jordan. The rediscovery of the ancient city of Tel Dan (Tell el-Qadi), formerly called Laish, took place in 1966, thanks to the Israeli excavations.
Explore[edit | edit source]
- 33° 14’ 18’’ N / 35° 39’ 11’’ E /
- +200m
Notes and references[edit | edit source]
Article partially based on the Geographical Dictionary of the Gospel, by Jean-François Lavère.