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Joshua 21:17 — Word Study

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WLCוּמִמַּטֵּ֣ה בִנְיָמִ֔ן אֶת־ גִּבְע֖וֹן וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָ אֶת־ גֶּ֖בַע וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃

BSAAnd from the tribemaṭṭeh [a group of people] of Benjamin they gaveBinyâmîyn [son of the right hand] themʼêth GibeonGibʻôwn [a Levitical city] GebaGebaʻ [a city in Palestine]

Word
Listen & take awayJoshua 21
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 17 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (mig.ra.She.ha) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Joshua 21:17quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse lists cities given to the Levites from the tribe of Benjamin.
Who is speakingThe narrator recounts the distribution of cities among the tribes of Israel.
Where we areThis verse is part of the allocation of cities to the Levites, as detailed in Joshua 21.
The hard wordגִּבְע֖וֹן
Take awayGibeon and Geba are significant cities in the territory of Benjamin.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

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 21:17

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 Given to the Levitesgenerated

16Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh—nine cities from these two tribes, together with their pasturelands.
17And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba,
18Anathoth, and Almon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
19In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

Joshua 21:17 is part of a larger section where the Israelites allocate cities to the Levites from various tribes. Here, the tribe of Benjamin contributes Gibeon and Geba, which are important locations in the biblical narrative. This allocation emphasizes the role of the Levites in the community as caretakers of worship and spiritual leadership, as seen throughout the book of Joshua.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Joshua 9:3But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
2Joshua 18:25Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,
31 Chronicles 6:60And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands. So they had thirteen cities in all among their families.
4Joshua 18:24Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba—twelve cities, along with their villages.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מַטֶּה, u.mi.ma.Tehgenerated

The word מַטֶּה (maṭṭeh) refers to a tribe, particularly in the context of the twelve tribes of Israel. It can also denote a staff or rod, symbolizing authority or leadership. The parsing indicates it is a noun in the singular construct form, showing its connection to a specific group.

The term is derived from a root meaning to extend, which reflects its dual meaning as both a physical object and a social unit. In this verse, it signifies the tribe of Benjamin, highlighting the communal aspect of the allocation of cities.


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 finite verb is implied in the context of allocation, with a prepositional phrase indicating the source of the cities and a noun phrase listing the cities themselves. The structure emphasizes the action of giving and the specific cities involved.

The order of the Hebrew words places emphasis on the tribe first, followed by the cities, which highlights the source of the allocation before naming the recipients.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מַטֶּה as φυλῆς (phylēs), which means 'of a tribe.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the communal aspect of the tribe's role.

The translation of specific city names like גִּבְע֖וֹן may vary, but the Septuagint reflects the same geographical significance as the Hebrew text.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Joshua 21:17 tells us that from the tribe of Benjamin, two cities were given to the Levites: Gibeon and Geba. These cities were important locations within the territory of Benjamin, reflecting the distribution of land among the tribes.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of Gibeon and Geba?

Gibeon and Geba were key cities in the tribe of Benjamin, serving as Levitical cities where the priests could live and minister.

Why were cities allocated to the Levites?

The Levites were set apart for religious duties, and the allocation of cities provided them with places to live and serve the community.

How does this verse fit into the larger narrative of Joshua?

This verse is part of the distribution of land among the tribes of Israel, emphasizing the fulfillment of God's promises to provide for His people.

What does the term 'tribe' signify in this context?

In this context, 'tribe' signifies a group of people descended from a common ancestor, specifically the twelve tribes of Israel.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What can I learn from the way cities were allocated among the tribes?
  2. How does understanding the significance of Gibeon and Geba enhance my reading of the biblical narrative?
  3. In what ways do I see the importance of community and leadership reflected in my own life?
  4. How can I support those who serve in spiritual leadership within my community?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Joshua 21:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs,.... See Gill "Joshua 18:25"; from which came the Gibeonites. Geba with her suburbs. Of which [See comments on Joshua 18:24].

Read John Gill on Joshua 21 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs, No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Joshua 21 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. Gibeon] See ch. Joshua 9:3; Geba, Joshua 18:24.

Read Cambridge on Joshua 21 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

14-17. Jattir — Joshua 15:48. Eshtemoah — Joshua 15:50. Debir — Joshua 10:38. Juttah — Joshua 15:55. Beth-shemesh — Joshua 15:10. Gibeon — Joshua 9:3. Geba — Joshua 18:24.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Joshua 21 →

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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its pasture lands, Geba with its pasture lands,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba,

NETBNew English Translation2006

From the tribe of Benjamin they assigned Gibeon, Geba,

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs,

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its suburbs, Geba with its suburbs,

RVARevised Version, American1894

And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs;

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its suburbs, Geba with its suburbs,

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And out of the tribe of Beniamin they gaue Gibeon with her suburbes, Geba with her suburbes,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

and out of the tribe of Benjamin: Gibeon and its suburbs, Geba and its suburbs,

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon and its suburbs, Geba and its suburbs,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon and its outskirts, Geba and its outskirts,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And from the tribe of Benjamin, Gib'on with its open spaces, Geba' with its open spaces,

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

From the tribe of Benjamin were given Gibeon with its pasturelands, Geba with its pasturelands,

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And out of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, Gabaon, and Gabae,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

From the tribe of Benjamin the following four towns and their pastures: Gibeon, Geba,

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave Gibeon and Geba with their grass-lands;

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.

וּandclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromnoun phraseמַּטֵּ֣הthe.tribeבִנְיָמִ֔ןof.Benjaminnoun phrase · objectnoun phrasenoun phraseאֶת(et)גִּבְע֖וֹןGibeonוְandnoun phraseאֶת(et)noun phraseמִגְרָשֶׁ֑landsהָits.pasturenoun phrasenoun phraseאֶת(et)גֶּ֖בַעGebaוְandnoun phraseאֶת(et)noun phraseמִגְרָשֶֽׁlandsהָits.pasture

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording for this verse. The Septuagint matches 7 of the 10 words in a word-by-word correspondence, indicating a close relationship between the two texts, though the word order may differ.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וּמִמַּטֵּ֣ה בִנְיָמִ֔ן אֶת־ גִּבְע֖וֹן וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָ אֶת־ גֶּ֖בַע וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וּמִמַּטֵּ֣הφυλῆςבִנְיָמִ֔ןβενιαμινגִּבְע֖וֹןγαβαωνוְאֶת־καὶמִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָτὰוְאֶת־καὶמִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃τὰ

7 of the 10 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.

Joshua 21:17מַטֶּהand from [tand from [the] מַטֶּהבִּנְיָמִיןBenjaminBenjaminבִּנְיָמִיןאֵתthe object the object markאֵתגִּבְעוֹןGibeonGibeonגִּבְעוֹןאֵתand the objand the object אֵתמִגְרָשׁpasture lanpasture lands iמִגְרָשׁאֵתthe object the object markאֵתגֶּ֫בַעGebaGebaגֶּ֫בַעאֵתand the objand the object אֵתמִגְרָשׁpasture lanpasture lands iמִגְרָשׁאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתגָּרַשׁto drive oto drive out: dגָּרַשׁנָטָהto stretchto stretchנָטָהבֵּןson: childson: childבֵּןגֶּ֫בַעGebaGebaגֶּ֫בַעגָּבִיעַcupcupגָּבִיעַמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁגַּת־רִמּוֹןGath-rimmoGath-rimmonגַּת־רִמּוֹןיַ֫הַץJahazJahazיַ֫הַץנָשִׂיאleaderleaderנָשִׂיאגִּבְעָהGibeahGibeahגִּבְעָהמַטֶּהtribetribeמַטֶּהבְאֵרוֹתBeerothBeerothבְאֵרוֹתיְעוּאֵלJeielJeielיְעוּאֵלרָמָהRamahRamahרָמָהמִצְפָּהMizpahMizpahמִצְפָּה
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Joshua 21:17

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.

and from [the] tribe of Benjamin the object marker Gibeon and the object marker pasture lands its the object marker Geba and the object marker pasture lands its
וּמִמַּטֵּ֣הu.mi.ma.Teh and from [the] tribe of H4294 Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
252× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word can mean a tribe, like the 12 tribes of Israel, or a staff, like the one Moses used to lead his people in Exodus 4:2.
Amplified meaning
a group of people
Tyndale gloss
tribe
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַטֶּה (mat-teh) refers to a staff, rod, or branch, and can also denote a tribe. It is derived from a root meaning to extend, and its uses include both literal and figurative meanings, such as a support or a means of correction. The lexicons consistently highlight its association with leadership and community.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַטֶּה 251 n.m.

staff, rod, shaft

branch

tribe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4294 מַטֶּה . staff, rod, shaft

. branch

. tribe

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4294 matteh mat-teh'

or (feminine) mattah {mat-taw'}; from 5186; a branch (as

extending); figuratively, a tribe; also a rod, whether for

chastising (figuratively, correction), ruling (a sceptre),

throwing (a lance), or walking (a staff; figuratively, a

support of life, e.g. bread):--rod, staff, tribe.

see HEBREW for 05186

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: rod.

: rod/staff

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe.

: tribe

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: arrow.

: arrow

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: stick.

: stick

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: supply.

: supply

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | N-ms — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/R/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and from [the] tribe of Benjamin the object marker Gibeon and the object marker pasture lands its the object marker Geba and the object marker pasture lands its
בִנְיָמִ֔ןvin.ya.Min Benjamin H1144 Noun proper masculine
166× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Benjamin means son of the right hand, referring to the youngest son of Jacob and the tribe that descended from him. The term is first used in Genesis 35:18. Benjamin was a brother of Joseph and a half-brother of Reuben and others.
Amplified meaning
son of the right hand
Tyndale gloss
(Gate of) Benjamin
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בִּנְיָמִין (i.e., *Binyamiyn*) means 'son of the right hand.' It refers primarily to Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel, as well as to the tribe descended from him. The entries also mention a son of Bilhan and several individuals from the time of Ezra. Notably, the name is associated with various contexts in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בִּנְיָמִין n.pr.m. 166 (son of (the) right hand)—

youngest son of Jacob, so called by him, but Rachel, the mother, who died at Benjamin's birth, called בֶּן־אוֹנִ֑י (q.v.)

son of Bilhan and great-grandson of Benjamin

a Jew of Ezra's time

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1144 בִּנְיָמִין . youngest son of Jacob, so called by him, but Rachel, the mother, who died at Benjamin's birth, called בֶּן־אוֹנִ֑י (q.v.)

. son of Bilhan and great-grandson of Benjamin

. a Jew of Ezra's time

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1144 Binyamiyn bin-yaw-mene'

from 1121 and 3225; son of (the) right hand; Binjamin,

youngest son of Jacob; also the tribe descended from him, and

its territory:--Benjamin.

see HEBREW for 01121

see HEBREW for 03225

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בִּנְיָמִין (bin.ya.min) — Benjamin.

A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.35.18;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Rachel (H7354);

brother of: Joseph (H3130);

half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

father of: Bela (H1106A), Becher (H1071), Ashbel (H0788), Gera (H1617), Naaman (H5283), Ehi (H0278), Rosh (H7220), Muppim (H4649), Huppim (H2650H), Ard (H0714), Ahiram (H0297) and Jediael (H3043); also called Jamin at 1Sa.9.1,4; 22.7; 1x

§ Benjamin = "son of the right hand"

1) Jacob's and Rachel's youngest son, Joseph's full brother

2) son of Bilhan, great-grandson of Benjamin

3) a Benjamite, one of the sons of Harim, in the time of Ezra who had taken a strange wife

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ben'-ja-min (binyamin, or binyamin; Beniaein, Beniamin):

1. The Patriarch:

The youngest of Jacob's sons. His mother Rachel died in giving him birth. As she felt death approaching she called him Benoni, "son of my sorrow." Fearing, probably, that this might bode evil for the child--for names have always preserved a peculiar significance in the East--Jacob called him Benjamin, "son of the fight hand" (Ge 35:17 ff). He alone of Jacob's sons was born in Palestine, between Bethel and Ephrath. Later in the chapter, in the general enumeration of the children born in Paddan-ar am, the writer fails to except Benjamin (Ge 35:24). Joseph was his full brother. In the history where Benjamin appears as an object of solicitude to his father and brothers, we must not forget that he was already a…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Benjamin

Son of my right hand. (1.) The younger son of Jacob by Rachel (Gen. 35:18). His birth took place at Ephrath, on the road between Bethel and Bethlehem, at a short distance from the latter place. His mother died in giving him birth, and with her last breath named him Ben-oni, son of my pain, a name which was changed by his father into Benjamin. His posterity are called Benjamites (Gen. 49:27; Deut. 33:12; Josh. 18:21).

The tribe of Benjamin at the Exodus was the smallest but one (Num. 1:36, 37; Ps. 68:27). During the march its place was along with Manasseh…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(son of the right hand, fortunate). The youngest of the children of Jacob. His birth took place on the road between Bethel and Bethlehem, near the latter, B.C. 1729. His mother, Rachel, died in the act of giving him birth, naming him with her last breath Ben-oni (son of my sorrow). This was by Jacob changed into Benjamin. (Genesis 35:16,18) Until the journeys of Jacob’s sons and Jacob himself into Egypt we hear nothing of Benjamin. Nothing personal is known of him. Henceforward the history of Benjamin is the history of the tribe. A man of the tribe of Benjamin, son of bilhan, and the head of a family of warriors. (1 Chronicles 7:10) One of the "sons of Harim," an Israelite in the time of Ezra who had married a foreign wife. (Ezra…

The youngest son of Jacob and Rachel, Ge 35:16-18. Rachel died immediately after he was born, and with her last breath named him Ben-oni, the son of my sorrow; but Jacob called him Benjamin, son of my right hand. He was a great comfort to his father, who saw in him the beloved wife he had buried, and Joseph whose loss he mourned. He could hardly be persuaded to let him go with his brethren to Egypt, Ge 42:38. The tribe of Benjamin was small at first and was almost exterminated in the days of the Judges, Jud 20:1-48, but afterwards greatly increased, 2Ch 14:8 17:17. It was valiant, Ge 49:27, and "beloved of the Lord,"…

and from [the] tribe of Benjamin the object marker Gibeon and the object marker pasture lands its the object marker Geba and the object marker pasture lands its
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
DirObjM — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and from [the] tribe of Benjamin the object marker Gibeon and the object marker pasture lands its the object marker Geba and the object marker pasture lands its
גִּבְע֖וֹןgiv.'on Gibeon H1391 Noun proper
38× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Gibeon was a Levitical city in the region of Benjamin, located about 5 miles from Jerusalem, and is now known as el-Jib. The name means hill city, and it is mentioned in various KJV translations as Gibeon.
Amplified meaning
a Levitical city
Tyndale gloss
Gibeon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גִּבְעוֹן (Gib`own) refers to Gibeon, a Levitical city in the tribe of Benjamin, described as a 'hill city.' It is located near modern 'el-Jib,' about 5 miles from Jerusalem. The word is derived from a root meaning 'hilly,' linking it to its geographical features.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גִּבְעוֹן n.pr.loc. Levitical city in tribe of Benjamin; cf. also as n.pr.m.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1391 גִּבְעוֹן Levitical city in tribe of Benjamin

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1391 Gib`own ghib-ohn'

from the same as 1387; hilly; Gibon, a place in

Palestine:--Gibeon.

see HEBREW for 01387

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גִּבְעוֹן (giv.on) — Gibeon.

§ Gibeon = "hill city"

a Levitical city of Benjamin, modern 'el-Jib', which lies 5 miles or 8 km from Jerusalem

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

gib'-e-un (gibh`on): One of the royal cities of the Hivites (Jos 9:7). It was a greater city than Ai; and its inhabitants were reputed mighty men (Jos 10:2). It fell within the territory allotted to Benjamin (Jos 18:25), and was one of the cities given to the Levites (Jos 21:17).

1. The Gibeonites:

By a stratagem the Gibeonites secured for themselves and their allies in Chephirah, Beeroth and Kirjath-jearim immunity from attack by the Israelites. Terrified by the fate of Jericho and Ai, a company disguised as ambassadors from a far country, their garments and shoes worn, and their provisions moldy as from the length of their journey, went to Joshua at Gilgal, and persuaded…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Gibeon

Hill-city, “one of the royal cities, greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty” (Josh. 10:2). Its inhabitants were Hivites (11:19). It lay within the territory of Benjamin, and became a priest-city (18:25; 21:17). Here the tabernacle was set up after the destruction of Nob, and here it remained many years till the temple was built by Solomon. It is represented by the modern el-Jib, to the south-west of Ai, and about 5 1/2 miles north-north-west of Jerusalem.

A deputation of the Gibeonites, with their allies from three other cities (Josh. 9;17), visited the camp at Gilgal, and by false representations induced Joshua to enter into a league with them, although the Israelites had been specially warned against any league with the inhabitants of Canaan (Ex. 23:32

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(hill city), one of the four , cities of the Hivites, the inhabitants of which made a league with Joshua, (Joshua 9:3-15) and thus escaped the fate of Jericho and Ai. Comp. ch. (Joshua 11:19) Gibeon lay within the territory of Benjamin, ch. (Joshua 18:25) and with its "suburbs" was allotted to the priests, ch. (Joshua 21:17) of whom it became afterwards a principal station. It retains its ancient name almost intact, el-Jib . Its distance from Jerusalem by the main road is about 6 1/2 miles; but there is a more direct road reducing it to five miles.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A considerable city of the Hivites, afterwards a Levitical city in the tribe of Benjamin, Jos 18:25 21:17. It lay near Geba and Gibeah, and is sometimes wrongly taken for Geba. Its Canaanite inhabitants secured a treaty with Joshua and the elders of Israel by strategem, and were made hewers of wood for the sanctuary. Five neighboring kings unitedly fell upon them; but were defeated by the Jews in a great battle, during which "the sun stood still upon Gibeon," Jos 9:10. Here the tabernacle was set up for many years, 1Ch 16:39 21:29 2Ch 1:3,4; and here god communed by night with young king Solomon, 1Ki 3:4-15. It is also…

and from [the] tribe of Benjamin the object marker Gibeon and the object marker pasture lands its the object marker Geba and the object marker pasture lands its
וְאֶת־ve.'Et and the object marker H853 Conjunction · particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/To — Conjunction · particle
HC/To
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and from [the] tribe of Benjamin the object marker Gibeon and the object marker pasture lands its the object marker Geba and the object marker pasture lands its
מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmig.ra.She.ha pasture lands its H4054 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
119× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A pasture or open land, often the area around a building or the margin of the sea. This term describes a common or shared space in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
pasture
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִגְרָשׁ (migrash) refers to common or open land, often associated with areas where flocks are driven for pasture. It can denote a suburb or the space around a building, and is noted in Ezekiel 27:28. The term is derived from a root meaning to drive out.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִגְרָשׁ n.m. common, common-land, open land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4054 מִגְרָשׁ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4054 migrash mig-rawsh'

also (in plural) feminine (Ezek. 27:28) migrashah

{mig-raw-shaw'}; from 1644; a suburb (i.e. open country

whither flocks are driven from pasture); hence, the area

around a building, or the margin of the sea:--cast out,

suburb.

see HEBREW for 01644

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִגְרָשׁ (mig.rash) — pasture.

common, common land, open land, suburb

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpc/Sp3fs — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3fs
and from [the] tribe of Benjamin the object marker Gibeon and the object marker pasture lands its the object marker Geba and the object marker pasture lands its
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and from [the] tribe of Benjamin the object marker Gibeon and the object marker pasture lands its the object marker Geba and the object marker pasture lands its
גֶּ֖בַעGe.va' Geba H1387 Noun proper
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Geba is a place in Palestine, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, near Jerusalem. It is mentioned in the Bible as a significant location.
Amplified meaning
a city in Palestine
Tyndale gloss
Geba
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גֶּ֫בַע n.pr.loc. Levitical city, in Benjamin

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1387 גֶּ֫בַע Levitical city in Benjamin

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1387 Geba` gheh'-bah

from the same as 1375, a hillock; Geba, a place in

Palestine:--Gaba, Geba, Gibeah.

see HEBREW for 01375

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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"

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

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…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

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.

and from [the] tribe of Benjamin the object marker Gibeon and the object marker pasture lands its the object marker Geba and the object marker pasture lands its
וְאֶת־ve.'Et and the object marker H853 Conjunction · particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/To — Conjunction · particle
HC/To
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and from [the] tribe of Benjamin the object marker Gibeon and the object marker pasture lands its the object marker Geba and the object marker pasture lands its
מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃mig.ra.She.ha pasture lands its H4054 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
119× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A pasture or open land, often the area around a building or the margin of the sea. This term describes a common or shared space in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
pasture
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִגְרָשׁ (migrash) refers to common or open land, often associated with areas where flocks are driven for pasture. It can denote a suburb or the space around a building, and is noted in Ezekiel 27:28. The term is derived from a root meaning to drive out.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִגְרָשׁ n.m. common, common-land, open land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4054 מִגְרָשׁ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4054 migrash mig-rawsh'

also (in plural) feminine (Ezek. 27:28) migrashah

{mig-raw-shaw'}; from 1644; a suburb (i.e. open country

whither flocks are driven from pasture); hence, the area

around a building, or the margin of the sea:--cast out,

suburb.

see HEBREW for 01644

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִגְרָשׁ (mig.rash) — pasture.

common, common land, open land, suburb

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpc/Sp3fs — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3fs
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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