Goshen

The name of two small regions, and a small town, reported in the OT.

1) The area where Joseph settled his family (so that they may "be near me") when they came down to Egypt during the (Gen 45:10). Archaeologists identify it with the area around modern Wadi Tumilat in the eastern part of the Nile delta. It is reckoned one of "the best part of the land" (47:6); rich in alluvial and watered by the Nile it would have been. Here Israel multiplied greatly and, when the oppression under the new pharaoh came, and the Pharaoh entered into a "battle of the plagues," Yahweh declared that "I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land" (Exo 8:22).

2) A small area located between Gaza and Gibeon, perhaps part of the Shephelah, mentioned only in passing as land conquered by Joshua (Jos 10:41; 11:16). Some commentators have suggested that this region derived its name from Israel's remembrance of the fertily of the Goshen in Egypt; this is possible but pure speculation nonetheless (topographically, the Shephelah is so entirely different from the delta of the Nile it is difficult to imagine namely one after the other).

3) One of "elevent towns and their villages" in the hill-country assigned to the tribe of Judah (Jos 15:51). Nothing is known about it.