Libnah

AI summary: Libnah is one of Judah's notable smaller cities because it appears at several important historical moments. It begins as one of the royal Canaanite cities taken in the conquest, becomes part of Judah's later settled and priestly landscape, and then reappears in the orbit of Sennacherib's campaign. That combination gives it more depth than a simple town-list entry. The cross references present this Libnah as a Judahite city of conquest, inheritance, and later military significance.¹

One of the royal cities of the Canaanites taken by Joshua (Josh. 10:29-32; 12:15). It became one of the Levitical towns in the tribe of Judah (21:13), and was strongly fortified. Sennacherib laid siege to it (2 Kings 19:8; Isa. 37:8). It was the native place of Hamutal, the queen of Josiah (2 Kings 23:31). It stood near Lachish, and has been identified with the modern Arak el-Menshiyeh. ³