Joshua 18:24 — Word Study
WLCוּכְפַ֧ר הָֽעַמֹּנָ֛ה וְהָֽעָפְנִ֖י וָגָ֑בַע עָרִ֥ים שְׁתֵּים־ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן׃
BSAChephar-ammoniKᵉphar hâ-ʻAmmôwnîy△ [village of the Ammonites] OphniʻOphnîy△ [a town in Benjamin] and GebaGebaʻ [a city near Jerusalem] twelveshᵉnayim [a dozen] citiesʻîyr [towns, settlements] along with their villageschâtsêr [surrounding, associated, small settlements, unwalled places]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּכְפַ֧ר | and Kephar | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| הָֽעַמֹּנָ֛ה | Ammonah | Particle, noun proper |
| וְהָֽעָפְנִ֖י | and Ophni | Conjunction, particle, noun proper |
| וָגָ֑בַע | and Geba | Conjunction, noun proper |
| עָרִ֥ים | cities | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| שְׁתֵּים־ | two [plus] | Adj |
| עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה | ten | |
| וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן׃ | and villages their | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba—twelve cities, along with their villages. |
| KJV | And Chephar-haammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages: |
| ASV | and Chephar-ammoni, and Ophni, and Geba; twelve cities with their villages: |
| YLT | and Chephar-Haammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities and their villages. |
| WEB | Chephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba; twelve cities with their villages. |
| BBE | And Chephar-Ammoni and Ophni and Geba; twelve towns with their unwalled places; |
Where they part company is עָרִים — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause introduces the cities, with a subordinate phrase detailing the total count and their villages.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, AdamClarke & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
2 of 8 occur nowhere else in the Old Testament — words chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Joshua 18:24
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Allocation of Land to Benjamingenerated
Joshua 18:24 details the cities allocated to the tribe of Benjamin, highlighting their geographical significance. This allocation is part of a broader narrative in which the Israelites receive their land after the conquest of Canaan. The mention of specific cities and their villages illustrates the organization and settlement of the tribes within the Promised Land, reflecting the historical and cultural context of Israelite society.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua 21:17 | And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba, |
| 2 | Ezra 2:26 | the men of Ramah and Geba, 621; |
| 3 | Nehemiah 7:30 | the men of Ramah and Geba, 621; |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עָרִים, 'arimgenerated
The word עָרִים ('arim) is the plural form of עִיר ('ir), meaning 'cities' or 'towns'. It indicates multiple settlements, often fortified or walled, that served as centers of community life in ancient Israel.
In this verse, it specifically refers to the twelve cities allocated to the tribe of Benjamin, emphasizing the structured distribution of land and the importance of these urban centers in the tribal system.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is governed by the finite verb that is implied in the listing of names, with the noun phrases following it: כְּפַר, Kephar, עָפְנִי, Ophni, and גֶּבַע, Geba. The structure emphasizes the enumeration of cities and their respective villages.
Hebrew word order places the cities first, highlighting their significance, followed by the numeral phrase indicating the total count of twelve.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עָרִים as πόλεις (poleis), meaning 'cities'. This choice reflects a direct correspondence to urban centers, similar to the Hebrew meaning.
The LXX does not provide a full match for the Hebrew text but captures the essence of the cities as significant locations within the tribal allocation.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Joshua 18:24 lists three cities in the territory of Benjamin: כְּפַר (Kephar), עָפְנִי (Ophni), and גֶּבַע (Geba), totaling twelve cities along with their villages. This reflects the organization of land among the tribes of Israel.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It refers to cities or towns, specifically those that are fortified or significant in the context of the Israelite settlements.
These cities represent the allocation of land to the tribe of Benjamin and reflect the historical settlement patterns in ancient Israel.
The mention of villages indicates the surrounding communities that support the cities, showing the interconnectedness of urban and rural life.
This verse is part of the broader narrative of land distribution among the tribes of Israel after their conquest of Canaan, highlighting the fulfillment of God's promises.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about the organization of communities from the cities listed in this verse?
- How do the cities and their villages reflect the culture and society of ancient Israel?
- In what ways do these locations connect to the broader narrative of the Israelites in the Promised Land?
- What significance do you see in the emphasis on both cities and villages in this context?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Joshua 18:24 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd Chepharhaammonai, and Ophni,.... Of the two first of these no mention is made elsewhere; and Gaba is the same with Gibeah, a well known place, because of the foul fact committed there, which had
Read John Gill on Joshua 18 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Chephar-haam'monai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages: Chephar-haammonai - i:e., hamlet of the Ammonites [Septuagint, Karafa, Kefima, Moni] - not ascertained.
Read Robert Jamieson on Joshua 18 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersTHE OF .(11-28) The lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin.—It can have been by no accident that their lot came forth “between Judah and Joseph.” No wiser method could have been devised to secure an united Israel than thus to make Benjamin the link between the two most powerful and naturally rival tribes. In the story of Joseph, the brethren are reconciled through the mutual affection of Judah and Joseph for Benjamin as their father’s youngest and best-loved son. The position thus given to Benjamin under Joshua was still further developed by circumstances. The tribe was almost exterminated in the time of the judges; the survivors were united in marriage with women of Ephraim and…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Joshua 18 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 24. And Gaba] Supposed to be the same as Gibeah of Saul, a place famous for having given birth to the first king of Israel; and infamous for the shocking act towards the Levite's wife, mentioned Judges 19:16-30, which was the cause of a war in which the tribe of Benjamin was nearly exterminated. Judges 20:29-48.
Read AdamClarke on Joshua 18 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges24. 10. Chephar-haammonai] is quite unknown, so also is ii. Ophni; 12. Gaba, or Geba = “height,” “hill,” not the Geba or Gibeah of Saul, is mentioned in 2 Kings 23:8; Zechariah 14:10.
Read Cambridge on Joshua 18 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible24. Ophni is doubtless the Gophna of Josephus, (Wars, Joshua 3:3; Joshua 3:5,) and is represented in the modern Jifna, three miles northwest of Beth-el.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Joshua 18 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba—twelve cities, along with their villages.
Chephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba; twelve cities with their villages.
Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba—twelve cities, along with their villages.
Kephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba – a total of twelve cities and their towns.
Tyndale line
And Chephar-haammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages:
and Chephar-ammoni, and Ophni, and Geba; twelve cities with their villages:
and Chephar-ammoni, and Ophni, and Geba; twelve cities with their villages:
And Chephar-haamonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages:
And Chephar, Ammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba: twelue cities with their villages.
Strictly literal
and Chephar-haammonai, and Ophni, and Geba: twelve cities and their hamlets;
and Chephar-Haammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities and their villages.
and Chephar-Haammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities and their villages.
And Kephar-ha'ammonah, and 'Ophni, and Geba': twelve cities with their villages.
Kephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba. There were twelve cities, including their villages.
From the Latin
The town Emona and Ophni and Gabee: twelve cities, and their villages.
Simplified
Kephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba—twelve towns with their associated villages.
And Chephar-Ammoni and Ophni and Geba; twelve towns with their unwalled places;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text lists וּכְפַ֧ר הָֽעַמֹּנָ֛ה וְהָֽעָפְנִ֖י וָגָ֑בַע עָרִ֥ים שְׁתֵּים־ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן׃, while the Septuagint matches only three of the eight words directly. The overall message of city allocation remains consistent across both texts.
וּכְפַ֧ר הָֽעַמֹּנָ֛ה וְהָֽעָפְנִ֖י וָגָ֑בַע עָרִ֥ים שְׁתֵּים־ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן׃
3 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Joshua 18:24
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
כָּפָר (kaphar) refers to a village, specifically one that is protected by walls. The term appears in the context of a specific location, such as the village of the Ammonites in Joshua 18:24. The entries consistently define it as a village, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
[כָּפָר] n.m. village;—sg. cstr. כְּפַר הָעַמּוֹנִי Jos 18:24 Kt village of the Ammonites
base
H3723 כָּפָר, כְּפַר הָעַמּוֹנִי
3723 kaphar kaw-fawr'
from 3722; a village (as protected by walls): -village.
Compare 3715.
see HEBREW for 03722
see HEBREW for 03715
כָּפָר (ka.phar) — Chephar.
§ village
כָּפָר (ka.phar) — village.
village
Also means: ko.pher (כֹּפֶר "village" H3724D)
HC/Ncmsc — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
כָּפָר (kphar) refers to a village, specifically noted as the 'village of the Ammonites' in the context of the Old Testament. It is derived from roots meaning 'to cover' and 'Ammonite.' The term appears in Joshua 18:24, indicating its geographical significance in Benjamin.
[כָּפָר] n.m. village;—sg. cstr. כְּפַר הָעַמּוֹנִי Jos 18:24 Kt village of the Ammonites
base
H3726 כָּפָר, כְּפַר הָעַמּוֹנִי
3726 Kphar ha-`Ammowniy kef-ar' haw-am-mo-nee'
from 3723 and 5984, with the article interposed; village of
the Ammonite; Kefar-ha-Ammoni, a place in
Palestine:--Chefar-haamonai.
see HEBREW for 03723
see HEBREW for 05984
הָעַמּוֹנִי (ke.phar ha.am.mo.ni) — (Chephar)-ammoni.
Combined with ka.phar (כָּפָר "Chephar" H3723)
§ Chephar-haammonai = "village of the Ammonites"
a village in Benjamin
N-proper — Particle · noun properHTd/Npl
עָפְנִי (Ophniy) refers to a location in Benjamin, specifically a town called Ophni, which is noted for being northwest of Bethel. The name is associated with the meaning 'mouldy.' It appears in the Old Testament in Joshua 18:24.
עָפְנִי n.pr.loc. in Benj., Jos 18:24
ref
H6078 עָפְנִי
6078 `Ophniy of-nee'
from an unused noun (denoting a place in Palestine; from an
unused root of uncertain meaning); an Ophnite (collectively)
or inhabitants of Ophen:--Ophni.
עׇפְנִי (oph.ni) — Ophni.
§ Ophni = "mouldy"
a town of Benjamin located 2.5 (4.5 km) miles northwest of Bethel; modern 'Jifna'
Conj | Art | N-proper — Conjunction · particle · noun properHC/Td/Npl
of'-ni (ha-`ophni; Aphne): A place in the territory of Benjamin (Jos 18:24). The modern Jifneh, in a fine vale West of the road to Nablus and 2 1/2 miles Northwest of Bethel, might suit as to position; but the change in the initial letter from `ain to jim is not easy. This is the Gophna of the rabbis (compare Josephus, Jewish Wars, III, iii, 5).
Ophni
Mouldy, a city of Benjamin (Josh. 18:24).
(mouldy), a town of Benjamin, mentioned in (Joshua 18:24) the same as the Gophna of Josephus a place which at the time of Vespasian’s invasion was apparently so important as to be second only to Jerusalem. It still survives in the modern Jifna or Jufna , 23 miles northwest of Bethel.
wearisomeness; folding together
גֶּ֫בַע (Geba) refers to a Levitical city located in the territory of Benjamin, identified with the modern site 'Jeba'. The name means 'hill', reflecting its elevated position northeast of Jerusalem. The entries also note that it is associated with other locations like Gibeah and Gibeon. There is some overlap in naming, as it is sometimes referred to as Gibeah.
גֶּ֫בַע n.pr.loc. Levitical city, in Benjamin
base
H1387 גֶּ֫בַע Levitical city in Benjamin
1387 Geba` gheh'-bah
from the same as 1375, a hillock; Geba, a place in
Palestine:--Gaba, Geba, Gibeah.
see HEBREW for 01375
גֶּ֫בַע (ge.va) — Geba.
§ Gaba or Geba or Gibeah = "hill"
a city in Benjamin, modern 'Jeba', which stands on the top of a steep terraced hill, six miles or ten kilometres north east of Jerusalem and three miles or five kilometres from Gibeah, on the edge of the Wadi Suweinit looking northward to the opposite village of ancient Michmash, modern 'Mukhmas'
גֶּ֫בַע (ge.va) — Gibeah.
Gaba or Geba or Gibeah = "hill"
a city in Benjamin, modern 'Jeba', which stands on the top of a steep terraced hill, six miles or ten kilometres north east of Jerusalem and three miles or five kilometres from Gibeah, on the edge of the Wadi Suweinit looking northward to the opposite village of ancient Michmash, modern 'Mukhmas'
Another spelling of giv.ah (גִּבְעָה "Gibeah" H1390H)
גֶּ֫בַע (ge.va) — Geba.
Gaba or Geba or Gibeah = "hill"
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun properHC/Npl
ge'-ba (gebha`, "hill"):
(1) A town on the Northeast boundary of the territory of Benjamin (Jos 18:24), given to the Levites (Jos 21:17; 1Ch 6:60). It stood on the northern frontier of the kingdom of Judah, Geba and Beersheba marking respectively the northern and southern limits (2Ki 23:8). In 2Sa 5:25 "Geba" should be altered to "Gibeon," which stands in the corresponding passage, 1Ch 14:16. In Jud 20:10,33; 1Sa 13:3,16, the Hebrew reads "Geba," the…
Geba
The hill, (2 Sam. 5:25 [1 Chr. 14:16, “Gibeon”]; 2 Kings 23:8; Neh. 11:31), a Levitical city of Benjamin (1 Kings 15:22; 1 Sam. 13:16; 14:5, wrongly “Gibeah” in the A.V.), on the north border of Judah near Gibeah (Isa. 10:29; Josh. 18:24, 28). “From Geba to Beersheba” expressed the whole extent of the kingdom of Judah, just as “from Dan to Beersheba” described the whole length of Palestine (2 Kings…
(a hill), a city of Benjamin, with "suburbs," allotted to the priests. (Joshua 21:17; 1 Chronicles 6:60) It is named amongst the first group of the Benjamite towns --apparently those lying near to and along the north boundary. (Joshua 18:24) Here the name is given as GABA. During the wars of the earlier part of the reign of Saul, Geba was held as a garrison by the Philistines, (1 Samuel 13:3) but they were ejected by Jonathan. It is now the modern village of Jeba , which stands picturesquely on the top of its steep terraced hill, six miles north of Jerusalem, on the very edge of the great Wady Suweinit , looking northward to the opposite village of ancient Michmash, which…
A Levitical town of Benjamin, Jos 18:24 21:17 1Ch 8:6, near Ramah, Ne 7:30 Isa 10:29, and not far from the northern border of the kingdom of Judah, 2Ki 23:8 Zec 14:10. Near Geba David defeated the Philistines, 2Sa 5:25. Asa renewed it from the ruins of Ramah, 1Ki 15:22. It was six or seven miles from Jerusalem, and was separated from Michmash on the north by a deep valley. See GIBEAH.
The Hebrew word עִיר (*'iyr*) has meanings related to both excitement and city. It can denote excitement, particularly of terror or rage, as well as refer to a city or town, indicating a place that is guarded or inhabited. The entries suggest a broad application, from fortified cities to simple encampments. There is a specific mention of a man named Ir in 1 Chronicles 4:12.
עִיר n.[m.] excitement;—of terror; of rage
base
עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town
city, town, abode of men
of fortress in a city
appar. fortified place, of any size
base
H5892a עִיר excitement;—of terror; of rage H5892b עִיר city, town . city, town, abode of men
. of fortress in a city
. appar. fortified place, of any size
5892 `iyr eer
or (in the plural) par {awr}; or ayar (Judges 10:4)
{aw-yar'}; from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a
watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or
post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.
see HEBREW for 05782
עִיר (ir) — excitement.
1) excitement, anguish
1a) of terror
עִיר (ir) — city.
1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)
1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)
1a) city, town
עִיר (ir) — City (of On).
Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)
This name means city, town
Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)
עִיר (ir) — Ir-.
#A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.12;
son of: Tehinnah (H8468)
N-fp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
The earliest notice in Scripture of city-building is of Enoch by Cain, in the land of his exile. (Genesis 4:17) After the confusion of tongues the descendants of Nimrod founded Babel, Erech, Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar, and Asshur, a branch from the same stock, built Nineveh, Rehoboth-by-the-river, Calah and Resen, the last being "a great city." The earliest description of a city, properly so called, is that of Sodom, (Genesis 19:1-22) Even before the time of Abraham there were cities in Egypt, (Genesis 12:14,15; Numbers 13:22) and the Israelites, during their sojourn there, were employed in building or fortifying the "treasure cities" of Pithom and Raamses.…
שְׁנַ֫יִם (shnayim) means 'two' and serves as both a cardinal and ordinal number. It can denote 'both,' 'double,' or 'twice,' and is used in various combinations with other numbers. The word is derived as a dual form of שָׁנָה (shanah), which relates to the concept of pairs.
שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם 768 n.m. et f. du. two
base
H8147 שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם two
8147 shnayim shen-ah'-yim
dual of 8145; feminine shttayim {shet-tah'-yim}; two; also
(as ordinal) twofold:--both, couple, double, second, twain, +
twelfth, + twelve, + twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.
see HEBREW for 08145
שְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) — two.
1) two
1a) two (the cardinal number)
1a1) two, both, double, twice
1b) second (the ordinal number)
1c) in combination with other numbers
1d) both (a dual number)
Adj — AdjHAcfda
עָשָׂר (asar) means 'ten' and is used exclusively in combination with other numbers to form the teen numbers (11-19), both as cardinal and ordinal forms. The entries indicate that it is derived from another Hebrew root, but do not elaborate on its etymology.
עָשָׂר, עֶשְׂרֵה ten, only after units to make num. 11-19, both cardinal and ordinal
base
H6240 עָשָׂר, עֶשְׂרֵה ten, only after units to make num. 11-19, both cardinal and ordinal
6240 `asar aw-sawr'
for 6235; ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen; also
(ordinal) -teenth:--(eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-,
six-, thir-)teen(-th), + eleven(-th), + sixscore thousand, +
twelve(-th).
see HEBREW for 06235
עָשָׂר (a.sar) — ten.
1) ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers)
1a) used only in combination to make the numbers 11-19
HAcbsa — HAcbsa
חָצֵר (chatser) refers to an enclosure or court, and can also mean a settled abode, settlement, or village, typically appearing in the plural form חֲצֵרִים. The word is derived from a root meaning to enclose, indicating spaces that are surrounded by walls or fences.
חָצֵר 145 n.m. and (oftener) f. enclosure, court
base
[חָצֵר] 46 n.m. settled abode, settlement, village—always pl. abs. חֲצֵרִים
base
H2691a חָצֵר n. m. and (oftener) f. enclosure, court H2691b חָצֵר settled abode, settlement, village—always pl. abs. חֲצֵרִים
2691 chatser khaw-tsare'
(masculine and feminine); from 2690 in its original sense; a
yard (as inclosed by a fence); also a hamlet (as similarly
surrounded with walls):--court, tower, village.
see HEBREW for 02690
חָצֵר (cha.tser) — court.
1) court, enclosure
1a) enclosures
1b) court
חָצֵר (cha.tser) — village.
settled abode, settlement, village, town
Conj | N-cp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHC/Ncmpc/Sp3fp