Original Word: כְּתִלִישׁ
Part of Speech: Proper Name
Transliteration: Kithliysh
Pronunciation: keeth-leesh'
Phonetic Spelling: (kith-leesh')
KJV: Kithlish
NASB: Chitlish
Word Origin: [from H3796 (כּוֹתֶל - wall) and H376 (אִישׁ - man)]

1. wall of a man
2. Kithlish, a place in Israel

Kithlish

From kothel and 'iysh; wall of a man; Kithlish, a place in Palestine -- Kithlish.

see HEBREW kothel

see HEBREW 'iysh

Word Origin
from the same as kothel
Definition
a city in Judah
NASB Translation
Chitlish (1).

כִּתְלִישׁ proper name, of a location a city of Judah Joshua 15:40, site unknown; ᵐ5^B Μααχως A Ξαθλως, ᵐ5^L Καθαλεις.

Name and Possible Meaning

Kithlish (כְּתִלִישׁ) appears to be formed from two Hebrew elements that have led some scholars to suggest ideas such as “shrubbery,” “fortress of a waving field,” or “boundary of a threshing-floor.” None of these explanations is certain, but all hint that the site once held agricultural or defensive importance to the people of Judah.

Biblical Occurrence

The single canonical mention is found in the territorial roster of Judah:

“Cabbon, Lahmam, Kithlish” (Joshua 15:40).

Its placement in a group of nine towns (Joshua 15:37-42) situates it within the Shephelah—the lowland region sandwiched between the Judean hill country and the Philistine plain.

Geographic Setting

1. Region: Shephelah of Judah.
2. Neighboring Sites: Lahmam, Ether, Ashan, and Libnah form the broader context.
3. Proposed Locations:
• Tell el-Kuleileh, southwest of Lachish, has been suggested on linguistic grounds.
• Khirbet el-Qom has also been proposed because of its strategic vantage and Iron-Age remains.

No excavation has yet produced an inscription definitively linking either mound to Kithlish, so the site remains officially unlocated.

Historical Context

During the Late Bronze to Early Iron Age transition, the Shephelah was a contested strip between incoming Israelites and established Canaanite or Philistine populations. Allocating towns such as Kithlish to Judah served three purposes:
• Establishing Judah’s western frontier against Philistine pressure.
• Securing access routes from the coastal plain to Hebron.
• Providing fertile farmland for a growing tribe.

Theological and Ministry Insights

1. Covenant Fulfillment

The meticulous town-by-town listing in Joshua underscores Yahweh’s faithfulness in granting Israel the land promised to Abraham (Genesis 15:18-21). Even an otherwise obscure village like Kithlish stands as evidence that “not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass” (Joshua 21:45).

2. Particularity of Divine Care

Modern readers are tempted to overlook such “minor” towns, yet their inclusion testifies that God’s concern embraces communities both large and small (Psalm 147:4). Ministry application: local churches in remote places today are no less within the divine plan than metropolitan congregations.

3. Boundary and Identity

By enumerating Kithlish among Judah’s towns, Scripture reinforces tribal identity rooted in geography. Likewise, believers are reminded that spiritual identity is grounded in being “a chosen people, a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9), called to inhabit and steward whatever sphere God assigns.

Archaeological Considerations

Surface surveys at candidate mounds reveal:
• Fortification lines typical of Iron Age II towns.
• Collared-rim jar fragments, indicating Judahite occupation.
• Evidence of olive presses and threshing floors, matching the probable agricultural etymology of the name.

Continued excavation could clarify trade links with Lachish and offer material confirmation of the Joshua narrative.

Lessons for Today

• God’s promises extend to every detail; trust Him with the “small things.”
• Geographic rootedness matters; believers are called to serve faithfully in their localities.
• Historical lists in Scripture are neither filler nor obsolete; they invite deeper study and bolster confidence in the Bible’s historical reliability.

Summary

Though mentioned only once, Kithlish illustrates the thoroughness of divine provision, the strategic care with which Judah’s inheritance was secured, and the way even the humblest location participates in redemptive history.

וְכִתְלִֽישׁ׃ וכתליש׃ vechitLish wə·ḵiṯ·lîš wəḵiṯlîšInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts