Joshua 21:24 — Word Study
WLCאֶת־ אַיָּלוֹן֙ וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָ אֶת־ גַּת־ רִמּ֖וֹן וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָ עָרִ֖ים אַרְבַּֽע׃ ס
BSAAijalonʼAyâlôwn [a city in Palestine, field of deer] and Gath-rimmonGath-Rimmôwn [winepress of the pomegranate] fourʼarbaʻ [a simple counting number] citiesʻîyr [a place with a wall or a watchman] together withʼêth their pasturelandsmigrâsh [open land, common or shared area around a building]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| אַיָּלוֹן֙ | Aijalon | Noun proper |
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָ | pasture lands its | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| גַּת־ | Gath | Noun proper |
| רִמּ֖וֹן | Rimmon | Noun proper |
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָ | pasture lands its | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| עָרִ֖ים | cities | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| אַרְבַּֽע׃ ס | four | Adj |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon—four cities, together with their pasturelands. |
| KJV | Aijalon with her suburbs, Gath-rimmon with her suburbs; four cities. |
| ASV | Aijalon with its suburbs, Gath-rimmon with its suburbs; four cities. |
| YLT | Aijalon and its suburbs, Gath-Rimmon and its suburbs — four cities. |
| WEB | Aijalon with its pasture lands, Gath Rimmon with its pasture lands: four cities. |
| BBE | Aijalon and Gath-rimmon with their grass-lands, four towns. |
The translations agree on the meaning of the cities and their pasturelands.
The sentence is structured to list the cities first, followed by the additional detail of their pasturelands.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, AdamClarke, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 21:24
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 Cities for the Levitesgenerated
Joshua 21:24 describes the allocation of cities to the Levites, specifically naming Aijalon and Gath-rimmon among four cities. This allocation is part of a broader distribution of cities and pasturelands to the Levitical clans, ensuring they had places to dwell and graze their flocks, as seen throughout chapters 21 and 22 of Joshua.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua 10:12 | On the day that the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the LORD in the presence of Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” |
| 2 | Joshua 19:42 | Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, |
| 3 | 1 Chronicles 6:69 | Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon, together with their pasturelands. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — מִגְרָשׁ, migrashgenerated
The word מִגְרָשׁ (migrash) refers to common or open land, typically associated with areas where livestock are pastured. It denotes the space surrounding a building or settlement, indicating a shared area for agricultural or pastoral use.
In this verse, it emphasizes the importance of not just the cities themselves but also the land needed for sustenance, highlighting the practical considerations of living in these allocated cities.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In the Berean Standard Bible, the term pasturelands is used, which aligns with the KJV and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse is straightforward, with the main clause listing the cities: אֶת־ אַיָּלוֹן֙ וְאֶת־ גַּת־ רִמֹּון — Aijalon and Gath-rimmon — followed by the quantity and description of the cities and their pasturelands.
The finite verb is implicit, as the focus is on the enumeration of the cities and their corresponding lands, typical of Hebrew prose which often employs a list format.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates מִגְרָשׁ as τὰ, indicating a more general reference to the lands associated with the cities. This choice reflects a broader interpretation of the term, focusing on the lands as a collective rather than specifying their function as pasture.
The Greek rendering does not provide a direct equivalent for the specificity found in the Hebrew, which emphasizes the pastoral aspect of the lands.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Joshua 21:24 lists Aijalon and Gath-rimmon as two of the four cities given to the Levites, along with their pasturelands. This allocation ensures that the Levites have both a place to live and land for their livestock.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The term 'pasturelands' refers to open land that is used for grazing livestock, typically surrounding the cities.
These cities are significant because they are part of the Levitical cities allocated to the Levites, ensuring they have places to dwell and sustain their flocks.
This verse mentions four cities in total, including Aijalon and Gath-rimmon.
The pasturelands are important as they provide the necessary space for the Levites to graze their animals, which is essential for their livelihood.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about the distribution of resources in ancient Israel from this verse?
- How does the allocation of pasturelands reflect the needs of the Levitical priests?
- In what ways can we apply the concept of shared resources in our communities today?
- What significance do the names of the cities hold in the broader narrative of Israel's history?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Joshua 21:24 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAijalon with her suburbs,.... [See comments on Joshua 19:42]; Gathrimmon with her suburbs, four cities; [See comments on Joshua 19:45].
Read John Gill on Joshua 21 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd 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 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 24. Aijalon] See Clarke on Joshua 10:12.
Read AdamClarke on Joshua 21 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges24. Aijalon] See Joshua 10:12; Gath-rimmon, see Joshua 19:45.
Read Cambridge on Joshua 21 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible21-24. Shechem — Joshua 17:7. Gezer — Joshua 10:33.Beth-horon — Joshua 10:10. Aijalon — Joshua 10:12. Tanach — Joshua 12:21.
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
Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
Aijalon with its pasture lands, Gath Rimmon with its pasture lands: four cities.
Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities.
Tyndale line
Aijalon with her suburbs, Gath-rimmon with her suburbs; four cities.
Aijalon with its suburbs, Gath-rimmon with its suburbs; four cities.
Aijalon with her suburbs, Gath-rimmon with her suburbs; four cities.
Ajalon with its suburbs, Gath-rimmon with its suburbs; four cities.
Aiialon with her suburbes, Gath-rimmon with her suburbes: foure cities.
Strictly literal
Ajalon and its suburbs, Gath-Rimmon and its suburbs: four cities;
Aijalon and its suburbs, Gath-Rimmon and its suburbs — four cities.
Aijalon and its outskirts, Gath-Rimmon and its outskirts—four cities.
Ayalon with its open spaces, Gath-rimmon with its open spaces: four cities.
Aijalon with its pasturelands, and Gath Rimmon with its pasturelands—four cities in all.
From the Latin
And Aialon and Gethremmon, with their suburbs, four cities.
Simplified
Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon.
Aijalon and Gath-rimmon with their grass-lands, four towns.
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 and the Septuagint largely agree on the content of this verse, with a word-by-word correspondence for 7 of the 11 words. The differences in word order and articles reflect the distinct grammatical structures of Hebrew and Greek.
אֶת־ אַיָּלוֹן֙ וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָ אֶת־ גַּת־ רִמּ֖וֹן וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָ עָרִ֖ים אַרְבַּֽע׃ ס
7 of the 11 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 21:24
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.
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).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
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
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)
Conj | DirObjM — ParticleHTo
אַיָּלוֹן (Ayalown) means 'deer-field' and refers to Aijalon, a name for five locations in Palestine. It is identified as a Levitical city in Dan, located northwest of Jerusalem, and has historical ties to the Amorites, Benjamites, and Philistines.
אַיָּלוֹן n.pr.loc. (Deer-field) Aijalon
city in Dan
city in Zebulun
base
H357 אַיָּלוֹן
357 'Ayalown ah-yaw-lone'
from 354; deer-field; Ajalon, the name of five places in
Palestine:--Aijalon, Ajalon.
see HEBREW for 0354
אַיָּלוֹן (ay.ya.lon) — Aijalon.
§ Ajalon or Aijalon = "field of deer"
Levitical city in Dan, 14 miles or 25 km NW of Jerusalem, later ruled by the Amorites, then the Benjamites of Judah, then by the Philistines
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
a'-ja-lon ('ayyalon, "deerplace"; the King James Version, Ajalon (Jos 10:12)):
(1) The name of a town allotted to the tribe of Da (Jos 19:42), which was also designated a Levitical city (Jos 21:24), which fell to the Sons of Kohath (1Ch 6:69). The first mention of Aijalon is in the narrative of Joshua's defeat of the five Amorite kings: "thou, Moon, in the valley of Aijalon" (Jos 10:12). The Danites failed to take it from the Amorites (Jud 1:35), although the men of Ephraim held it in vassalage. Here Saul and Jonathan won a great victory over the Philistines (
→ See AJALON
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).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
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
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)
HC/To — Conjunction · particleHC/To
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.
מִגְרָשׁ n.m. common, common-land, open land
base
H4054 מִגְרָשׁ
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
מִגְרָשׁ (mig.rash) — pasture.
common, common land, open land, suburb
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3fs
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).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
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
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)
HTo — ParticleHTo
גַּת־רִמּוֹן (Gath-Rimmon) means "winepress of the pomegranate" and refers to a city in ancient Palestine. It was assigned to the Levites and is mentioned in the context of both the tribe of Dan and the half tribe of Manasseh. The name is derived from Hebrew roots meaning 'winepress' and 'pomegranate'.
גַּת־רִמּוֹן n.pr.loc. in Dan; Levitical city
base
H1667 גַּת־רִמּוֹן
1667 Gath-Rimmown gath-rim-mone'
from 1660 and 7416; wine-press of (the) pomegranate;
Gath-Rimmon, a place in Palestine:--Gath-rimmon.
see HEBREW for 01660
see HEBREW for 07416
גַּת־רִמּוֹן (gat-rim.mon) — Gath-rimmon.
§ Gath-rimmon = "winepress of the pomegranate"
a city given out of the tribe of Dan to the Levites, situated on the plain of Philistia, apparently not far from Joppa
גַּת־רִמּוֹן (gat-rim.mon) — Gath-rimmon.
Gath-rimmon = "winepress of the pomegranate"
a town of the half tribe of Manasseh located on the west side of the Jordan, assigned to the Levites
Another name of yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
gath (gath; Septuagint Geth, "winepress"):
One of the five chief cities of the Philistines (Jos 13:3; 1Sa 6:17). It was a walled town (2Ch 26:6) and was not taken by Joshua, and, although many conflicts took place between the Israelites and its people, it does not seem to have been captured until the time of David (1Ch 18:1). It was rendered famous as the abode of the giant Goliath whom David slew (1Sa 17:4), and other giants of the same race (2Sa 21:18-22). It was to Gath that the Ashdodites conveyed the ark when smitten with the plague, and Gath was also smitten (
Gath
A wine-vat, one of the five royal cities of the Philistines (Josh. 13:3) on which the ark brought calamity (1 Sam. 5:8, 9; 6:17). It was famous also as being the birthplace or residence of Goliath (1 Sam. 17:4). David fled from Saul to Achish, king of Gath (1 Sam. 21:10; 27:2-4; Ps. 56), and his connection with it will account for the words in 2 Sam. 1:20. It was afterwards conquered by David (2 Sam. 8:1). It occupied a strong position on the borders of Judah and Philistia (1 Sam. 21:10;
(a wine press), one of the five royal cities of the Philistines; (Joshua 13:3; 1 Samuel 6:17) and the native place of the giant Goliath. (1 Samuel 17:4,23) It probably stood upon the conspicuous hill now called Tell-es-Safieh , upon the side of the plain of Philistia, at the foot of the mountains of Judah; 10 miles east of Ashdod, and about the same distance south by east of Ekron. It is irregular in form, and about 200 feet high. Gath occupied a strong position, (2 Chronicles 11:8) on the border of Judah and Philistia, (1 Samuel 21:10; 1 Chronicles 18:1) and from its…
A city of the Philistines, and one of their five principalities, 1Sa 5:8 6:17. It was a notable city, in the border of the Philistines nearest to Jerusalem; but its site has long been lost. It was the home of Goliath, 1Sa 17:4. Compare Jos 11:22 2Sa 21:19-22. Here David sought a refuge form Saul, 1Sa 21:10 27:2-7. It came under his power in the beginning of his reign over all Israel, 1Ch 18:1, and continued subject to his successors till the declension of the kingdom of Judah. Rehoboam rebuilt or fortified it, 2Ch…
גַּת־רִמּוֹן (Gath-Rimmon) means "winepress of the pomegranate" and refers to a city in ancient Palestine. It was assigned to the Levites and is mentioned in the context of both the tribe of Dan and the half tribe of Manasseh. The name is derived from Hebrew roots meaning 'winepress' and 'pomegranate'.
גַּת־רִמּוֹן n.pr.loc. in Dan; Levitical city
base
H1667 גַּת־רִמּוֹן
1667 Gath-Rimmown gath-rim-mone'
from 1660 and 7416; wine-press of (the) pomegranate;
Gath-Rimmon, a place in Palestine:--Gath-rimmon.
see HEBREW for 01660
see HEBREW for 07416
גַּת־רִמּוֹן (gat-rim.mon) — Gath-rimmon.
§ Gath-rimmon = "winepress of the pomegranate"
a city given out of the tribe of Dan to the Levites, situated on the plain of Philistia, apparently not far from Joppa
גַּת־רִמּוֹן (gat-rim.mon) — Gath-rimmon.
Gath-rimmon = "winepress of the pomegranate"
a town of the half tribe of Manasseh located on the west side of the Jordan, assigned to the Levites
Another name of yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)
HNpl — Noun properHNpl
Rimmon
Pomegranate. (1.) A man of Beeroth (2 Sam. 4:2), one of the four Gibeonite cities. (See Josh. 9:17.)
(2.) A Syrian idol, mentioned only in 2 Kings 5:18.
(3.) One of the “uttermost cities” of Judah, afterwards given to Simeon (Josh. 15:21, 32; 19:7; 1 Chr. 4:32). In Josh. 15:32 Ain and Rimmon are mentioned separately, but in 19:7 and 1 Chr. 4:32 (comp. Neh. 11:29) the two words are probably to be combined, as forming together the name of one place…
a deity worshipped by the Syrians of Damascus, where there was a temple or house of Rimmon. (2 Kings 5:18) Rimmon is perhaps the abbreviated form of Hadad-rimmon, Hadad being the sun-god of the Syrians. Combining this with the pomegranate which was his symbol, Hadad-rimmon would then he the sun-god of the late summer, who ripens the pomegranate and other fruits.
exalted; pomegranate
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).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
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
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)
HC/To — Conjunction · particleHC/To
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.
מִגְרָשׁ n.m. common, common-land, open land
base
H4054 מִגְרָשׁ
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
מִגְרָשׁ (mig.rash) — pasture.
common, common land, open land, suburb
HNcmpc/Sp3fs — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3fs
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.…
אַרְבַּע (arba) means 'four' in Hebrew. It is a masculine noun derived from the root associated with the number four. The entries consistently affirm this meaning without any significant disagreement among lexicons.
אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה four
base
H702 אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה four
702 'arba` ar-bah'
masculine oarbaah {ar-baw-aw'}; from 7251; four:--four.
see HEBREW for 07251
אַרְבַּע (ar.ba) — four.
four
Adj — AdjHAcbsa
for ('arba`; tessares): "Four" (cardinal number) was a sacred and complete number with the Hebrews, as well as with several other peoples. It occurs very frequently in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
(1) It indicates completeness. We have the four rivers of Paradise (Ge 2:10); the four winds of heaven (Eze 37:9; Da 7:2; 8:8; 11:4; Zec 6:5, the Revised Version, margin "spirits"; /APC 2Esdras 13:5); "the four winds" (Mt 24:31; Mr 13:27); "the four corners of the earth" (Isa 11:12;