SUCCOTH
SUCCOTH (LXX.
Σοκχωθά, Vat.,
Σωχώ, Alex.), a city of the tribe of Gad in the valley, formerly part of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon (
Josh. 13.27).
It is connected with Zarthan in 1
Kings, 7.46, where Hiram is said to have cast his brasen vessels, &c. for Solomon's temple “in the plain of Jordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarthan,” elsewhere called Zaretan, mentioned in the account of the miraculous passage of the Israelites (
Josh. 3.16).
The city doubtless derived its name from the incident in the life of Jacob mentioned in Genesis (33.17) where the name is translated by the LXX. as in the parallel passagein Josephus (
Ant, 1.21.1),
Σκηναί (booths).
It was therefore south of the Jabbok, and the last station of Jacob before he crossed the Jordan towards Shechem. S. Jerome, in his commentary on the passage, says, “Sochoth: est usque hodie civitas trans Jordanem hoc vocabulo in parte Scythopoleos,” from which some writers have inferred that Scythopolis may have derived its name from this place in its vicinity (Robinson,
Bibl. Res. vol. iii. p. 175. n. 5), and this hypothesis is supported by the respectable names of Reland, Gesenius, and Rosenmüller.
A place called
Succât is still pointed out by the Arabs south of
Beisan (==Bethshan== Scythopolis), on the east side of Jordan, near the mouth of
Wady Mús. [
G.W]
