Genesis 10:19

And the border of the Canaanite This verse describes the geographical limits of the extension of the Canaanite peoples in a southerly direction, with Zidon as the starting-point in the north. As the limit on the south-west, we have "toward Gerar unto Gaza," and on the south-east "toward Sodom and Gomorrah, &c. unto Lasha." This would represent a triangle, having Zidon on the north, with Gaza and Lasha on the south-west and south-east. The description is not free from obscurity. "Toward Gerar unto Gaza" is hardly a natural definition; since Gaza lies to the north of Gerar.

"Lasha," or, as we should read it, "Lesha," was identified by Jerome with "Callirrhoe" on the east side of the Dead Sea; but, as the name does not occur elsewhere, this is only a traditional conjecture. Kittel (Biblia Hebraica) identifies it with "Bela," or "Zoar" (Genesis 14:2) which is mentioned together with the four "cities of the plain."

For "Lasha," Wellhausen conjectures "unto Laish" in the north-east of Palestine, which would give a fourth geographical limit of the Canaanite border, and alter the scheme of delimitation from a triangular to a four-sided area of country.