EN-SHEMESHa, that is to say, the fountain of the Sun, situated on the frontiers of Judah and Benjamin. Whether this be a Town, or a Fountain only, is a question. There is a fountain shewn beyond Bethany, in the way to Jordan, which is said to be a עין שמשEin Shemesch. Fons Solis. Josh. xv. 7.that of the sun: but this is not at all certain.
The Arabians b give this name to the ancient metropolis of Egypt, which the Hebrews called D’Herbelot. Bibl. Orient. p. 274. Coss. b D’Herbelot. Bibl. Orient. p. 79. Ain-alSchamasch. c Isa. xix. 18. LXX. Edit. Rom.On, and the Greeks Heliopolis. Isaiah b foretold, that there would be one day five cities in Egypt which should speak the Phœnician or Hebrew language, and swear by the name of the Lord; and that one of these cities should be called the city of the Sun, Hir-Hacheris. Some believe this to be Heliopolis, a celebrated city in Egypt upon the Nile, at the distance of half a day’s journey from Babylon in Egypt. I am of opinion, that this is the city which the Arabians would describe under the name of the fountain of the Sun, Ain-al-Schamasch. But M. D’Herbelot says, it is the city of Coss, situated in upper Egypt, and the most considerable in all Egypt next to Grand Cairo. He affirms Coss to be the ancient and famous city of Thebes, situated upon the Nile. See hereafter HELIOPOLIS.