Chinnereth

In the Bible

In the Old Testament, Chinnereth refers to three things: a lake, a town on its shore, and the surrounding region.

• The lake: Numbers 34:11, describing the eastern border of the land of Canaan that God would give to Israel, states that the border runs along the eastern shore of Chinnereth. Deuteronomy 3:17, describing the territory of the tribes of Reuben and Gad, gives the boundary as running from Chinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (KJV "the sea of the plain"), that is, the Salt Sea (the present-day Dead Sea). Joshua 12:3 and 13:27 likewise mention the lake as a boundary of the land east of the Jordan.
• The town: Joshua 19:35 lists Chinnereth among the fortified cities allotted to the tribe of Naphtali.
• The region: Joshua 11:2 speaks of "the plains south of Chinneroth." 1 Kings 15:20 records that when Ben-hadad, king of Aram, attacked the northern kingdom of Israel, he struck the region of Chinnereth (KJV "Cinneroth") together with the land of Naphtali.

Background

The lake of Chinnereth is a freshwater lake that the Jordan River enters from the north and leaves at the south. Its surface lies more than 200 meters (about 660 feet) below sea level. In Old Testament times it served as a geographical landmark for defining the boundaries of Israel's northern territory.

The Hebrew text uses both the singular form "Chinnereth" and the plural form "Chinneroth." The town of Chinnereth is commonly identified with a mound on the northwestern side of the lake (Tel Kinrot), but scholars differ on its exact location and on how the site developed over different periods. In Israel today the lake is called by its Hebrew name, Yam Kinneret (Lake Kinneret).

The Name in the New Testament

The New Testament calls the same lake "the lake of Gennesaret" (Luke 5:1), "the sea of Galilee" (Matthew 4:18), and "the sea of Tiberias" (John 21:1). Matthew 14:34 and Mark 6:53 also mention "the land of Gennesaret" along the lakeshore. The Greek name Gennesaret is commonly explained as derived from the Hebrew Chinnereth.

In the Old Testament the lake appears only briefly, chiefly as a place name marking territorial boundaries. In the New Testament, by contrast, it becomes the central setting of the ministry of Jesus Christ. It was on this lakeshore that Peter and the other fishermen disciples were called, and events such as the calming of the storm and Jesus walking on the water took place on this lake. Capernaum, on the lake's northern shore, was the town where Jesus lived and taught.

Interpretation and Issues

A widely repeated explanation connects the name Chinnereth with the Hebrew word kinnor, meaning lyre (a harp-like stringed instrument), and holds that the lake was so named because its shape resembles a lyre. This etymology, however, is not certain, and the biblical text itself does not explain the origin of the name. It is also unclear whether the lake was named after the town or the town after the lake.

There are no significant interpretive differences among denominations regarding this place name. However, because Chinnereth in Joshua 19:35 refers to a town rather than the lake, readers should determine which is meant in each passage.

In Korean Churches

Korean churches usually call the lake the "Sea of Galilee" or "Lake Galilee." The name Chinnereth is encountered mainly when Old Testament passages are read or preached. On Holy Land pilgrimages to Israel, the Sea of Galilee is a major destination, and pilgrims may also hear the local name Kinneret.