CINNERETH, CHINNERETH, and CINNE ROTH (Min, and ni-uo ; Sept. Kevep10). The name of a fortified town in Naphtali (Josh. xix 35), situated on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and which gave that sea its ancient name bs P17]] (Num. xxxiv. s). It was also the name of a district apparently encircling the town (1 Kings xv. 2o). Jerome says that Tiberias was originally called Cinnereth ; but he is evidently giving a mere tradition, as his words are 7erunt hoc primum appellatum nomine' (Onomast. s. v. Chennerrth). Reland denies that Cinnereth could have been situated at Tiberias. His reason is founded on Matt. iv. 13, where Capernaum is said to be in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim.' Now Capernaum lay six miles at least north of Tiberias, and hence Tiberias must have been so far south of Naphtali. The passage, however, will scarcely bear such a strict interpretation. Jerome's view is opposed to that of the Jewish rabbins, who state that Tiberias was built on the site of Rakkath (Lightfoot, Opp. ii. 223) ; and in this they are
supported by Joshua xix. 35-38, from which it appears that the territory of Naphtali included the whole western shore of the Sea of Galilee. The principal towns are enumerated, apparently begin ning at the south. Among them are Hammath, Rakkath, and Cinnereth. There can be little doubt that Hammath was situated at the Ham intim, or warm springs, a mile south of Tiberias ; Rakkath would then be Tiberias ; and the site of Cinnereth would be to the north along the shore, probably somewhere in the little plain of Genne saret. Some maintain that Gennesaret was just a more modem form of the ancient Hebrew Cinne reth, and so it is explained in the Targums (Light foot, Opp. 1. 496. GENNESARET).—j. L. P.