Nehemiah 11:34 — Word Study
WLCחָדִ֥יד צְבֹעִ֖ים נְבַלָּֽט׃
BSAHadidChâdîyd [a place of return] ZeboimTsᵉbôʻîym [speckled, a city in Benjamin] NeballatNᵉballâṭ△ [hidden folly, a reoccupied town]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| חָדִ֥יד | Hadid | Noun proper |
| צְבֹעִ֖ים | Zeboim | Noun proper |
| נְבַלָּֽט׃ | Neballat | Noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, |
| KJV | Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, |
| ASV | Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, |
| YLT | Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, |
| WEB | Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, |
| BBE | Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, |
The translations agree on the names of the towns listed in this verse.
The verse is a simple list of towns, presenting them in a straightforward manner without additional clauses.
3 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Cambridge, Whedon & 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 — Nehemiah 11:34
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 Towns of Benjamingenerated
Nehemiah 11:34 lists towns in Benjamin where the returning exiles settled. This verse is part of a broader account detailing the resettlement of the land after the Babylonian exile, emphasizing the restoration of communities and the reestablishment of Jewish life in their ancestral homeland.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Samuel 13:18 | another toward Beth-horon, and the third down the border road overlooking the Valley of Zeboim facing the wilderness. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חָדִיד, cha.Didgenerated
The name חָדִיד (cha.Did) refers to a geographical location in Benjamin, specifically a town called Hadid. The name means 'sharp' or 'pointed,' possibly reflecting the town's landscape. It is associated with the idea of a place of return, indicating its significance for the exiles.
Hadid is mentioned in other biblical texts, such as Ezra 2:33 and Nehemiah 7:37, confirming its role as a settlement for those returning from exile.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the names of the towns listed in this verse: Hadid, Zeboim, and Neballat are consistently rendered across the versions.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of a simple listing of three towns, with each name functioning as a noun phrase. The structure is straightforward, presenting the names in a clear sequence without complex grammatical constructions.
The lack of a finite verb indicates that this is a descriptive enumeration, typical in genealogical or locational lists in biblical texts.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint does not provide a direct translation for these names, indicating that the Greek translators may have chosen to retain the Hebrew names without alteration, reflecting their importance.
This choice suggests that the towns' identities were significant enough to be preserved in their original form, emphasizing their historical and geographical relevance.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Nehemiah 11:34 lists three towns in Benjamin: Hadid, Zeboim, and Neballat. These towns were reoccupied by the returning exiles after the Babylonian captivity, highlighting the restoration of the Jewish community in their homeland.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The names reflect characteristics or histories of the towns: Hadid means 'sharp,' Zeboim means 'speckled,' and Neballat means 'hidden folly,' indicating their unique identities.
These towns are significant as they represent the places where the returning exiles resettled, marking the restoration of Jewish life after the Babylonian exile.
These towns are part of the territory of Benjamin, one of the twelve tribes of Israel, and their mention underscores the continuity of the Israelite presence in the land.
Yes, Hadid and Zeboim are mentioned in other passages, indicating their historical significance in the region.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does the restoration of these towns tell us about the importance of community after exile?
- How can we see the significance of place in our own lives and communities today?
- In what ways can we honor the history of our own communities as the Israelites honored theirs?
- What lessons can we learn from the reoccupation of these towns about resilience and renewal?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Nehemiah 11:34 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd at Hazar-shual, and at Beersheba, and in the villages thereof, No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Nehemiah 11 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges34. Hadid] In Ezra 2:33, with Lod and Ono. Zeboim] Cf. 1 Samuel 13:18. Neballat] Only mentioned here, = beit-Nebala, N.W. of Lydda, six miles.
Read Cambridge on Nehemiah 11 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible26-35. On Moladah, see Joshua 15:26. Beer-sheba — Joshua 15:28.Ziklag — 1 Samuel 27:6. Jarmuth — Joshua 15:35. Lachish — Joshua 10:3. Valley of Hinnom — Joshua 15:8. Geba — Joshua 18:24. Michmash — 1 Samuel 13:2.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Nehemiah 11 →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
Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
in Hadid, Zeboim, and Neballat,
Tyndale line
Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat;
Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
Hadid, Zeboim, Nebalat,
Strictly literal
Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
Chadid, Zebo'im, Neballat,
Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
From the Latin
Hadid, Seboim, and Neballat, Led,
Simplified
Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
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 agree on the names of the towns: חָדִיד, צְבֹעִים, and נְבַלָּט. There is no variation in the wording between these witnesses.
חָדִ֥יד צְבֹעִ֖ים נְבַלָּֽט׃
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 Nehemiah 11:34
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.
חָדִיד (Chadiyd) refers to a location in Benjamin, specifically a town called Hadid. The name is associated with the meaning 'sharp' and is derived from a root meaning 'peak.' The entries consistently identify it as a geographical place without significant disagreement.
חָדִיד n.pr.loc. in Benj.
base
H2307 חָדִיד
2307 Chadiyd khaw-deed'
from 2300; a peak; Chadid, a place in Palestine:--Hadid.
see HEBREW for 02300
חָדִיד (cha.did) — Hadid.
§ Hadid = "sharp"
a town in Benjamin
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
ha'-did (chadhidh): A city in Benjamin (Ne 11:33 f) named with Lod and Ono (Ezr 2:33; Ne 7:37), probably identical with Adida Septuagint Hadida) of 1 Macc 12:38; 13:13, "over against the plain," which was fortified by Simon Maccabeus. It is represented by the modern el-Chaditheh, about 3 miles Northeast of Lydda.
(sharp), a place named, with Lod (Lydda) and Ono, only in the later books of the history. (Ezra 2:33; Nehemiah 7:37; 11:34) In the time of Eusebius a town called Aditha or Adatha existed to the east of Diospolis (Lydda). This was probably Hadid.
rejoicing; sharp
צְבֹעִים (Tsbo`iym) is a plural form referring to hyenas and also denotes a location called Zeboim, a city and valley in Benjamin, situated between Jericho and Jerusalem. The name Zeboim is associated with the meaning 'speckled.' The entries do not present any significant disagreement.
צְבֹעִים n.pr.loc. in Benj.
base
H6650 צְבֹעִים
6650 Tsbo`iym tseb-o-eem'
plural of 6641; hyenas; Tseboim, a place in
Palestine:--Zeboim.
see HEBREW for 06641
צְבֹעִים (tse.vo.im) — Zeboim.
§ Zeboim = "speckled"
city and surrounding valley in Benjamin between Jericho and Jerusalem
צְבֹעִים (tse.vo.im) — (Valley of) Zeboim.
Combined with gay (גַּיְא " Valley" H1516I)
§ Zeboim = "speckled"
city and surrounding valley in Benjamin between Jericho and Jerusalem
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
ze-bo'-im ((1) tsebho`im; Seboeim (Ne 11:34); (2) ge ha-tsebho`im; Gai ten Samein (1Sa 13:18)):
(1) A Benjamite town mentioned as between HADID (which see) and NEBALLAT (which see), and therefore in the maritime plain near Lydda; the site is lost (Ne 11:34).
(2) The Valley of Zeboim, "the valley of hyenas," one of three companies of the Philistines left their camp at Michmash and "turned the way of the border that looketh down upon the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness" (1Sa 13:18). There are several valleys with names derived from the hyena, so common in these parts. There is a small branch valley called Shakked dab`a, "ravine of the hyenas," North of the Wady kelt…
Zeboim
Gazelles or roes. (1.) One of the “five cities of the plain” of Sodom, generally coupled with Admah (Gen. 10:19; 14:2; Deut. 29:23; Hos. 11:8). It had a king of its own (Shemeber), and was therefore a place of some importance. It was destroyed along with the other cities of the plain.
(2.) A valley or rugged glen somewhere near Gibeah in Benjamin (1 Sam. 13:18). It was probably the ravine now bearing the name Wady Shakh-ed-Dub’a, or “ravine of the hyena,” north of Jericho.
(3.) A place mentioned only in Neh. 11:34, inhabited by the Benjamites after the Captivity.
(gazelles). One of the five cities of the "plain" or circle of Jordan. It is mentioned in (Genesis 10:19; 14:2,8; 29:23; Hosea 11:8) in each, of which passages it is either coupled with Admah or placed next it in the lists --perhaps represented by Talaa Sebaan , a name attached to extensive ruins on the high ground between the Dead Sea and Kerak . In (Genesis 14:2,8) the name is given more correctly in the Authorized Version ZEBOIIM. The valley of Zeboim, a ravine or gorge, apparently east of Michmash, mentioned only in (1 Samuel 13:18) The road running from Michmash to the east is specified as "the road of the border that looketh to the ravine of Zeboim toward the…
נְבַלָּ֑ט (neb-al-lawt) refers to Neballat, a location associated with the Benjamites, mentioned in Nehemiah 11:34. The name is derived from roots meaning 'foolish secrecy' and indicates a town in Palestine that was reoccupied after the captivity.
נְבַלָּ֑ט n.pr.loc. place where Benjamites dwelt Ne 11:34.
ref
H5041 נְבַלָּ֑ט
5041 Nballat neb-al-lawt'
apparently from 5036 and 3909; foolish secrecy; Neballat, a
place in Palestine:--Neballat.
see HEBREW for 05036
see HEBREW for 03909
נְבַלָּ֑ט (ne.val.lat) — Neballat.
§ Neballat = "hidden folly"
a town of Benjamin reoccupied after the captivity
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
ne-bal'-at (nebhallaT; Naballat): A town occupied by the Benjamites after the exile, named along with Lod and Ono (Ne 11:34). It is represented by the modern Belt Nebala, 4 miles Northeast of Lydda.
Neballat
Wickedness in secret, (Neh. 11:34), probably the village of Beit Nebala, about 4 miles north of Lydda.
(hidden folly), town of Benjamin, one of those which the Benjamites reoccupied after the captivity. (Nehemiah 11:34)
prophecy; budding