Jiphthah-El

Jiphthah-el — spelled Iphtah-el in the UPDV — is a valley in lower Galilee that serves as a boundary marker in the tribal allotments of Joshua 19. The valley appears twice, once on Zebulun's northern border and once on Asher's southern border, fixing the line where the two tribes meet.

A Boundary on Zebulun's Northern Border

The lot of Zebulun runs west and then turns north until it reaches the valley as its terminus: "and the border turned about it on the north to Hannathon; and the goings out of it were at the valley of Iphtah-el" (Josh 19:14). The valley's mouth is the place where Zebulun's surveyed line ends.

A Boundary on Asher's Southern Border

A few verses later, the same valley reappears on Asher's allotment, this time approached from the south and crossed northward: "and it turned toward the sunrising to Beth-dagon, and reached to Zebulun, and to the valley of Iphtah-el northward to Beth-emek and Neiel; and it went out to Cabul on the left hand" (Josh 19:27). The valley is the hinge between the two tribes — Zebulun stops there, Asher passes through it.