Bible Locations

This Succoth, "booths" or "shelters," was a town in the Jordan Valley, east of the river, near the Jabbok. After meeting Esau, Jacob "went to Sukkoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Sukkoth" (Genesis 33:17). It was given to Gad (Joshua 13:27). When Gideon was chasing the Midianite kings, the officials of Succoth refused to give his exhausted men bread. On his return, he taught them a lesson with desert thorns and briers (Judges 8:16). Solomon had the bronze items for the temple cast "in the clay ground between Sukkoth and Zarethan" (1 Kings 7:46). It's usually identified with Tell Deir Alla, where excavations found metalworking remains and the famous Balaam inscription from around 800 BC. Some prefer Tell el-Ekhsas nearby.