Shihor-libnath

Shihor-libnath was a place that marked the boundary of the territory allotted to the tribe of Asher (Josh 19:26).

Shihor-libnath is mentioned only once in the Bible, in the description of the territory allotted to the tribe of Asher (Josh. 19:26). It is listed as one of the boundary points, along with other towns and landmarks such as Helkath, Mount Carmel, and Dor. The exact location of Shihor-libnath is uncertain, but it was likely situated in the coastal region of northern Israel, near the Mediterranean Sea. The name "Shihor-libnath" may be derived from the Hebrew words "shihor" (black) and "libnath" (white), possibly referring to the contrast between the dark river and the white limestone cliffs in the area. Some scholars suggest that Shihor-libnath may be associated with the Crocodile River (modern-day Nahal Taninim) or the nearby town of Achzib. However, these identifications remain speculative due to the limited information provided in the biblical text.

Black-white, a stream on the borders of Asher, probably the modern Nahr Zerka, i.e., the “crocodile brook,” or “blue river”, which rises in the Carmel range and enters the Mediterranean a little to the north of Caesarea (Josh. 19:26). Crocodiles are still found in the Zerka. Thomson suspects “that long ages ago some Egyptians, accustomed to worship this ugly creature, settled here (viz., at Caesarea), and brought their gods with them. Once here they would not easily be exterminated” (The Land and the Book).