Joshua 19:36 — Word Study
WLCוַאֲדָמָ֥ה וְהָרָמָ֖ה וְחָצֽוֹר׃
BSAAdamahʼĂdâmâh△ [a city in Naphtali] RamahRâmâh [a place of battle] HazorChâtsôwr [a major Canaanite stronghold]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַאֲדָמָ֥ה | and Adamah | Conjunction, noun proper |
| וְהָרָמָ֖ה | and Ramah | Conjunction, particle, noun proper |
| וְחָצֽוֹר׃ | and Hazor | Conjunction, noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, |
| KJV | And Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor, |
| ASV | and Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor, |
| YLT | and Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor, |
| WEB | Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, |
| BBE | And Adamah and Ramah and Hazor |
The translations agree on the names of the cities listed in this verse.
The sentence is a simple enumeration of cities, with no additional clauses or complex structure.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, AdamClarke, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 3 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word 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 19:36
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 Cities of Naphtaligenerated
Joshua 19:36 lists the cities allocated to the tribe of Naphtali, emphasizing their geographical significance in the land of Canaan. This verse is part of a larger passage that details the distribution of cities among the tribes of Israel, highlighting the importance of these locations in biblical history.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua 11:1–20 | Now when Jabin king of Hazor heard about these things, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon; to the kings of Shimron and Achshaph; |
| 2 | Joshua 12:19 | the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one; |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֲדָמָה, va.'a.da.Mahgenerated
The word אֲדָמָה (Adamah) is a noun proper that refers to a city in the region of Naphtali. It is built from the root meaning 'ground' or 'land', indicating its geographical context as a city in Palestine. The parsing as a noun proper signifies its identity as a specific location rather than just a general term for land.
In this verse, Adamah is presented alongside other cities, marking its significance within the tribal allotments of Israel. The lexicon notes that it can also mean 'the earth' in a broader sense, but here it specifically denotes the city.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations of this verse agree on the names of the cities: Adamah, Ramah, and Hazor.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of this verse is straightforward, consisting of a main clause that lists three noun phrases: אֲדָמָה, רָמָה, and חָצוֹר. Each city is connected by the conjunctions 'and', indicating a simple enumeration.
The sentence's focus is on the cities themselves, with each noun phrase serving as a key element in the list of cities belonging to the tribe of Naphtali.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אֲדָמָה as αρμαιθ, which does not carry the same meaning as the Hebrew but suggests a specific location. This choice may reflect a different understanding of the city's significance in the Greek-speaking world.
The translation of רָמָה as αραηλ and חָצוֹר as ασωρ indicates a consistent effort to represent these cities in a manner that resonates with the Greek audience, though the exact meanings may vary from the Hebrew.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Joshua 19:36 lists the cities Adamah, Ramah, and Hazor, which are part of the territory given to the tribe of Naphtali. These cities are significant in the biblical narrative and reflect the geographical distribution of Israelite settlements.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Adamah is a city in Naphtali, highlighting the tribal allocations in the land of Canaan.
Ramah was known for its military significance, particularly in conflicts involving Israel and Syria.
Hazor was a major Canaanite stronghold, symbolizing the challenges faced by the Israelites in their conquest.
These cities illustrate the fulfillment of God's promises to the tribes of Israel regarding their inheritance in the land.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about the geographical distribution of the tribes of Israel from this verse?
- How do the cities listed in this verse reflect the history of Israel's conquest of Canaan?
- What role did Adamah, Ramah, and Hazor play in the broader narrative of the book of Joshua?
- How can understanding the significance of these cities enhance our reading of the biblical text?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Joshua 19:36 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd Adamah,.... Adamah is different from Adami, Joshua 19:33; and may seem to confirm the notion of some, that Nekeb there is an epithet of it, and so distinguishes it from Adamah here; and Ramah; of
Read John Gill on Joshua 19 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor, Adamah , [Septuagint, Armaith]. It was probably situated on the northwest of the lake. Ramah.
Read Robert Jamieson on Joshua 19 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 36. Hazor] See Clarke on Joshua 11:1.
Read AdamClarke on Joshua 19 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges36. Adamah] is unknown, as also Ramah, which must not be mistaken for the Ramah of Jos 19:29. Hazor] See above, Joshua 11:1; Joshua 11:6-10. Dr Robinson would identify it with Tel Khuraibeh, Captain Wilson and Anderson with Tel Hara. “Here were found the remains of an ancient fortress, a city with its walls and towers still to be traced, and on the eastern slope, the usual concomitants of old ruins, broken glass and pottery.” Here, they both agree, was the long-lost Hazor, which “lay over” the lake Hûleh. “The position,” says Captain Wilson, “is one of great strength and overhangs the lake. Every argument which Robinson adduces in favour of Tel Khuraibeh applies with much greater force to…
Read Cambridge on Joshua 19 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible36. Ramah must be kept distinct from Ramah in Asher. It is identified by Robinson with a large village still called Rameh, which is situated about six miles southwest of Safed on the declivity of a
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Joshua 19 →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
Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,
Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,
Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,
Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,
Tyndale line
And Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor,
and Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor,
and Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor;
And Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor,
And Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor,
Strictly literal
and Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor,
and Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor,
and Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor,
And Adamah, and Ramah, and Chazor,
Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,
From the Latin
And Edema and Arama, Asor,
Simplified
Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,
And Adamah and Ramah and Hazor
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 the cities as וַאֲדָמָ֥ה וְהָרָמָ֖ה וְחָצֽוֹר׃, while the Septuagint matches all three names. This agreement highlights the consistency of these city names across different textual traditions.
וַאֲדָמָ֥ה וְהָרָמָ֖ה וְחָצֽוֹר׃
3 of the 3 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 19:36
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.
אֲדָמָה (Adamah) refers to ground or land, particularly in the context of tilled soil that yields sustenance. It can denote a piece of property, the earth as a material substance, or even the whole inhabited earth. Additionally, it is identified as a city in the territory of Naphtali.
אֲדָמָה 224 n.f. ground, land (as tilled)
ground (as tilled, yielding sustenance)
piece of ground, landed property
earth as material substance
ground as earth's visible surface
land, territory, country
whole earth, inhabited earth
n. pr. loc. city in Naphtali
base
H128 אֲדָמָה, אֲדָמָה
128 'Adamah ad-aw-maw'
the same as 127; Adamah, a place in Palestine:--Adamah.
see HEBREW for 0127
אֲדָמָה (a.da.mah) — Adamah.
§ Adamah = "the earth"
city in Naphtali
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun properHC/Npl
ad'-a-ma ('adhamah; Adami): A fortified city in the territory of Naphtali, named between Chinnereth and Ramah (Jos 19:36). It is probably identical with the modern 'Admah, a ruin on the plateau about 10 miles North of Beisan.
Adamah
Red earth, a fortified city of Naphtali, probably the modern Damieh, on the west side of the sea of Tiberias (Josh. 19:33, 36).
(red earth), one of the "fenced cities" of Naphtali, named between Chinnereth and Ramah. (Joshua 19:36)
red earth; of blood
רָמָה (Ramah) means 'the Height' or 'hill' and refers to several locations in ancient Palestine, including a fortified city in Naphtali and a town in Benjamin near Gibeah. It is associated with the Benjamites after their return from captivity and is mentioned in the context of battles, such as between Israel and Syria. The lexicons note various geographical references but do not present significant disagreement.
רָמָה n.pr.loc. the Height, Rama
in Benj., on border of Ephr.
in hill-country of Ephr. (= 1 ?), home of Samuel
in Asher
in Naphtali
2 K 8:29
base
H7414 רָמָה the Height, Rama
7414 Ramah raw-maw'
the same as 7413; Ramah, the name of four places in
Palestine:--Ramah.
see HEBREW for 07413
רָמָה (ra.mah) — Ramah.
Ramah = "hill"
a place rehabited by the Benjamites after the return from captivity
Also named: Rhama (Ῥαμᾶ "Ramah" G4471)
רָמָה (ra.mah) — Ramah.
§ Ramah = "hill"
landmark on the boundary of Asher, apparently between Tyre and Zidon
רָמָה (ra.mah) — Ramah.
§ Ramah = "hill"
a fortified city in Naphtali
רָמָה (ra.mah) — Ramah.
Ramah = "hill"
a town in Benjamin on the border of Ephraim about 5 miles (8 km) from Jerusalem and near to Gibeah
Another name of mits.pah (מִצְפָּה "Mizpah" H4709G)
רָמָה (ra.mah) — Ramah.
Ramah = "hill"
a place of battle between Israel and Syria
Another name of ra.mot gi.l.ad (רָמֹת "Ramoth" H7433)
Conj | Art | N-proper — Conjunction · particle · noun properHC/Td/Npl
ra'-ma (ha-ramah, without the definite article only in Ne 11:33; Jer 31:15): The name denotes height, from root rum, "to be high," and the towns to which it applied seem all to have stood on elevated sites.
(1) Codex Vaticanus Arael; Codex Alexandrinus Rhama: A fenced city in the lot assigned to Naphtali (Jos 19:36). Only in this passage is the place referred to. It is probably identical with the modern er-Rameh, a large Christian village on the highway from Cafed to the coast, about 8 miles West-Southwest of that city. To the North rises the mountain range which forms the southern boundary of Upper Galilee. In the valley to the South there is much rich land cultivated by the villagers. The olives grown here are very fine…
(a hill). This is the name of several places in the holy land. One of the cities of the allotment of Benjamin. (Joshua 18:25) Its site is at er-Ram , about five miles from Jerusalem, and near to Gibeah. (Judges 4:5; 19:13; 1 Samuel 22:6) Its people returned after the captivity. (Ezra 2:26; Nehemiah 7:30) The home of Elkanah, Samuel’s father, (1 Samuel 1:19; 2:11) the birthplace of Samuel himself, his home and official residence, the site of his altar ch. (1 Samuel 7:17; 8:4; 15:34; 16:13; 19:18) and finally his…
Plural RAMOTH, an eminence; and hence many places in Palestine are named Ramah, Ramath, Ramath, Ramathaim, etc. Sometimes the same place is called by one or other of these names indiscriminately, all signifying the same, 2Ki 8:28,29. Sometimes Rama, Or Ramoth, is joined to another name, to determine the place of such city or eminence; and it is sometimes put simply for a high place, and signifies neither city nor village.
1. The principal Ramah was a city of Benjamin, near Gibeah, towards the mountains of Ephraim, six miles from Jerusalem north, and on the road from Samaria to Jerusalem, Jos 18:25 Jud 19:13 Ne 11:33. It was near the border line between Judah and Israel…
same as Ram
חָצוֹר (Chatsowr) refers to a collective term for several locations, primarily a royal city in northern Canaan, known as Hazor, meaning "castle." It also denotes towns in the Negev and among the Benjamites, as well as a site in Arabia. The entries highlight its geographical significance in both Palestine and Arabia.
חָצוֹר, חָצֹר n.pr.loc.
a royal city of northern Canaan
places in the Negeb
a Benjamite town
an Arabian locality
base
H2674 חָצוֹר, חָצֹר
2674 Chatsowr khaw-tsore'
a collective form of 2691; village; Chatsor, the name (thus
simply) of two places in Palestine and of one in Arabia:--
Hazor.
see HEBREW for 02691
חָצוֹר (cha.tsor) — Hazor.
Hazor = "castle"
a royal city of northern Palestine allotted to Naphtali
Also named: chets.ron (חֶצְרוֹן "Hezron" H2696J)
חָצוֹר (cha.tsor) — Hazor.
§ Hazor = "castle"
one of the cities of Judah in the extreme south
חָצוֹר (cha.tsor) — Hazor.
§ Hazor = "castle"
one of the cities of Judah in the extreme south
חָצוֹר (cha.tsor) — Hazor.
§ Hazor = "castle"
a town north of Jerusalem in which the Benjamites resided after the return from exile
חָצוֹר (cha.tsor) — Hazor.
§ Hazor = "castle"
a site in Arabia
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun properHC/Npl
ha'-zor (chatsor; Nasor; Codex Sinaiticus, Asor, 1 Macc 11:67):
(1) The royal city of Jabin (Jos 11:1), which, before the Israelite conquest, seems to have been the seat of a wide authority (Jos 11:11). It was taken by Joshua, who exterminated the inhabitants, and it was the only city in that region which he destroyed by fire (11:11-13). At a later time the Jabin Dynasty appears to have recovered power and restored the city (Jud 4:2). The heavy defeat of their army at the hands of Deborah and Barak led to their final downfall (Jud 4:23). It was in the territory allotted to Naphtali (Jos 19:36). Hazor was one of the cities…
Hazor
Enclosed; fortified. (1.) A stronghold of the Canaanites in the mountains north of Lake Merom (Josh. 11:1-5). Jabin the king with his allied tribes here encountered Joshua in a great battle. Joshua gained a signal victory, which virtually completed his conquest of Canaan (11:10-13). This city was, however, afterwards rebuilt by the Canaanites, and was ruled by a king with the same hereditary name of Jabin. His army, under a noted leader of the name of Sisera, swept down upon the south, aiming at the complete subjugation of the country. This powerful army was met by the Israelites under Barak, who went forth by the advice of the prophetess Deborah. The result was one of the most remarkable victories for Israel recorded in the Old Testament (Josh. 19:36;
(castle). A fortified city, which on the occupation of the country was allotted to Naphtali. (Joshua 19:36) Its position was apparently between Ramah and Kedesh, ibid. (Joshua 12:19) on the high ground overlooking the Lake of Merom. There is no reason for supposing it a different place from that of which Jabin was king. (Joshua 11:1; Judges 4:2,17; 1 Samuel 12:9) It was the principal city of the whole of north Palestine. (Joshua 11:10) It was fortified by Solomon, (1 Kings 9:15) and its inhabitants were carried…
1. A chief city of northern Canaan, whose king Jabin, at the head of an allied host, was defeated by Joshua, Jos 11:1-13. Hazor revived, however, and for a time oppressed the Israelites; but was subdued by Barak, fortified by Solomon, and remained in the possession of Israel until the invasion of Tiglathpileser, Jos 19:36; Jud 4:2; 1Ki 9:15; 2Ki 15:29. It lay not far from Lake Merom.
2. A region in Arabia, laid waste by Nebuchadnezzar, Jer 49:28- 33. Its location is unknown.