Places in the Bible Today:

Dragon Spring

Data

Translated NamesDragon Spring, Dragon spring, Dragon’s Spring, Jackal Well, Jackal’s Well, Serpent Well, Serpent’s Well, Well of the Dragons
Typespring
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

4 Possible Identifications

  1. another name for En-rogel (ancient): 45% confidence. It may be:

    1. building at Bir AyubBir Ayub

    2. cityscape looking east including Ain el Madauwerah, which is not visible at center rightAin el Madauwerah

    3. water flowing from the Gihon SpringGihon Spring

  2. Gihon Spring (modern): 20% confidence

    1. water flowing from the Gihon SpringGihon Spring

  3. in Jerusalem (ancient): 15% confidence

    1. aerial cityscape of Jerusalemin Jerusalem

  4. another name for Siloam (ancient): less than 10% confidence

    1. ruins at the Pool of SiloamPool of Siloam

Verses (1)

Neh 2:13

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Logos FactbookJackal’s Well
OpenBible.info (2007)Dragon Spring
OpenBible.infoab9580e (Dragon Spring)
TIPNRDragon_Spring@Neh.2.13

Sources

  1. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Jackal’s Well (place)
  2. Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2013): Jackal Well
  3. Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (1993): Neh 2:13
  4. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Jackal’s Well
  5. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1984): Neh 2:13
  6. Fensham, Ezra and Nehemiah (1982): Neh 2:13
  7. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2003): Dragon Well
  8. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988): Dragon’s Well
  9. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Dragon’s Well
  10. Williamson, Ezra, Nehemiah (1985): Neh 2:13-15
  11. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975): Dragon Well
  12. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010): Jackal Well
  13. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): Neh 2:13

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others, for example, then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

kfar hatemanim, עוזי ו., Deror_avi, Godot13, Tamar Hayardeni

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.