Kanah

The name Kanah belongs to two distinct geographical features in the conquest narrative — a wadi marking the boundary between Ephraim and Manasseh, and a town within Asher's allotment in the north.

The brook of Kanah

In the boundary description of Ephraim, the line runs west from Tappuah and follows a watercourse to the sea: "From Tappuah the border went along westward to the brook of Kanah; and the goings out of it were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim according to their families;" (Jos 16:8). The same brook is named again the next chapter as the dividing line with Manasseh: "And the border went down to the brook of Kanah, southward of the brook: these cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh: and the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook, and the goings out of it were at the sea:" (Jos 17:9). Kanah here is a flowing border between two of the central-hill tribes, with Ephraim to the south and Manasseh to the north.

A town of Asher

Within the description of Asher's territory, Kanah appears in a list of northern towns reaching toward the Phoenician coast: "and Adbon, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, even to great Sidon;" (Jos 19:28). This Kanah is geographically separate from the southern brook — a town of Asher in the inland-of-Sidon hill country, sharing only the name.