aenon Summary and Overview

springs, a place near Salim where John baptized (John 3:23). It was probably near the upper source of the Wady Far'ah, an open valley extending from Mount Ebal to the Jordan. It is full of springs. A place has been found called 'Ainun, four miles north of the springs.

(springs) a place "near to Salim," at which John baptized. #Joh 3:23| It was evidently west of the Jordan, comp. #Joh 3:22| with John 3:26 and with John 1:28 and abounded in water. It is given in the Omomasticon as eight miles south of Scythopolis "near Salem and the Jordan."

AE'NON . See Enon.

Near Salim, where John baptized (John 3:22-23; John 3:26; compare John 1:28), W. of Jordan. The name ("springs") implies" there was much water there." Robinson found a Salim E. of Nabulus, or Shechem, with two copious springs: compare Genesis 33:18. This would require Aenon to be far W. of Jordan; it agrees with this that, had it been near Jordan, John would scarcely have remarked that "much water" was there: but if far from the river, it explains how the plentiful water at AEnon was convenient for baptisms. There is an Ainun still near Shechem or Nabloos, with many beautiful streams and brooks. Ainun is as distant N. of the springs (three or four miles) as Salim is S. of them. The valley is called the wady Farah. (See SALIM.) The Ainun site is on the main line from Jerusalem to Nazareth. Here most probably, at the upper source of the wady Farah stream, between Salim and Ainun, was John's Aenon. The Israel explorer, Lieut. Conder, confirms this; moreover, this would explain John 4:4, "Jesus must needs go through Samaria; ... one soweth and another reapeth," etc. (John 4:37-38.) John the Baptist, the forerunner, prepared the way in Samaria; Jesus and His disciples must needs follow up by preaching the gospel there.