Numbers 32:37 — Word Study
WLCוּבְנֵ֤י רְאוּבֵן֙ בָּנ֔וּ אֶת־ חֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן וְאֶת־ אֶלְעָלֵ֑א וְאֵ֖ת קִרְיָתָֽיִם׃
BSAThe Reubenitesbên [children of, descendants of] built upbânâh■ [constructed, established, rebuilt] HeshbonCheshbôwn [a city east of the Jordan River] ElealehʼElʻâlêʼ [a village of the Reubenites, God is ascending] KiriathaimQiryâthayim [two cities, a town in Naphtali]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּבְנֵ֤י | and [the] descendants of | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural construct |
| רְאוּבֵן֙ | Reuben | Noun proper masculine |
| בָּנ֔וּ | they built | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| חֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן | Heshbon | Noun proper |
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| אֶלְעָלֵ֑א | Elealeh | Noun proper |
| וְאֵ֖ת | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| קִרְיָתָֽיִם׃ | Kiriathaim | Noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The Reubenites built up Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, |
| KJV | And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim, |
| ASV | And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiriathaim, |
| YLT | And the sons of Reuben have build Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim, |
| WEB | The children of Reuben built Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, |
| BBE | And the children of Reuben were the builders of Heshbon and Elealeh and Kiriathaim; |
Where they part company is בָּנ֔וּ — see How Translations Differ.
One main verb with multiple objects following, clearly indicating what was built.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Cambridge, Barnes & more — read them ›
clause
verbבָּנָה
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 — Numbers 32:37
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 Settlements of the Tribesgenerated
Numbers 32:37 describes the Reubenites' actions in building cities as they settled in the land east of the Jordan River. This is part of a larger narrative about the tribes of Israel establishing their territories after the Exodus. The context highlights the fulfillment of God's promise to give the land to His people, as they take possession of it and build their communities.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 32:3 | “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, |
| 2 | Numbers 21:27 | That is why the poets say: “Come to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt; let the city of Sihon be restored. |
| 3 | Isaiah 15:4 | Heshbon and Elealeh cry out; their voices are heard as far as Jahaz. Therefore the soldiers of Moab cry out; their souls tremble within. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בָּנ֔וּ, ba.Nugenerated
The verb בָּנָה (banah) means 'to build' and encompasses various forms such as constructing, establishing, and repairing. It implies an active role in creating something permanent, whether it be a physical structure or a family lineage.
In this verse, the Reubenites are described as having built cities, indicating their initiative in establishing their presence in the land. The perfect tense suggests that this action has been completed, emphasizing their successful settlement.
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 בָּנ֔וּ, they built, governs the entire clause, with the subjects and objects following in a straightforward manner. The structure is typical of Hebrew prose, presenting the action first and then detailing the entities involved.
The noun phrases include the subject וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן (the descendants of Reuben) followed by the direct objects חֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן, אֶלְעָלֵ֑א, and קִרְיָתָֽיִם, indicating what was built.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates בָּנ֔וּ as ᾠκοδόμησαν (they built), maintaining the same meaning while using a Greek term that emphasizes the act of construction. This choice reflects a direct correspondence in the action described.
The LXX also aligns closely with the Hebrew in naming the cities, indicating a consistent understanding of the geographical and cultural context.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 32:37 tells us that the Reubenites built up three cities: Heshbon, Elealeh, and Kiriathaim. This shows their active role in establishing their territory in the land east of the Jordan River.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies their establishment and settlement in the land, fulfilling God's promise to give them a place to live.
These cities were important for the Reubenites as they marked their territory and provided a base for their community.
Their actions demonstrate the importance of taking initiative and responsibility in establishing one's place in the world.
It reflects the broader theme of the Israelites taking possession of the land promised to them by God after their journey through the wilderness.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What steps can I take to establish my own place and role in my community?
- How can the actions of the Reubenites inspire me to take initiative in my life?
- What does it mean to build something meaningful in my life, similar to how the Reubenites built their cities?
- In what ways can I contribute to my community's growth and development?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 32:37 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim.
Read John Gill on Numbers 32 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim, Heshbon - now Hesban. Elealeh (the high) - now Elaal. Kirjathaim - the double city.
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 32 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges34–38. Many of these towns have been identified with some probability. But the list represents a tradition very different from that in Joshua 13:15-28 , and must be ultimately derived from an earlier source, though in its present form it was probably written by a priestly writer. In Joshua 13:15-28 Reuben occupies the position which is ordinarily represented on modern maps, on the south of Gad, the dividing line between them running east from about the northern point of the Dead Sea. But in the present passage Reuben’s position is not so independent. Five of the six towns assigned to them in Numbers 32:37-38 are situated in a district about midway between the Jabbok and the Arnon, and lie…
Read Cambridge on Numbers 32 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe Reubenites established themselves more compactly than the Gadites.
Read Albert Barnes on Numbers 32 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible37. Kirjathaim is known only by conjecture.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 32 →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
The Reubenites built up Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,
The children of Reuben built Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,
The Reubenites built up Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,
The Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,
Tyndale line
And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,
And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiriathaim,
And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiriathaim;
And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,
And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiriathaim,
Strictly literal
— And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elaleh, and Kirjathaim,
And the sons of Reuben have build Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,
And the sons of Reuben have built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,
And the children of Reuben built Cheshbon, and El'aleh, and Kiryathayim,
The descendants of Reuben rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,
From the Latin
But the children of Ruben built Hesebon, and Eleale, and Cariathaim,
Simplified
The people of Reuben rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,
And the children of Reuben were the builders of Heshbon and Elealeh and Kiriathaim;
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 is supported by the Septuagint, which matches 8 of the 9 words. The Samaritan Pentateuch presents a slight variation in the name of one city, אלעלה (Elealeh), while the Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration but largely agree with the MT.
וּבְנֵ֤י רְאוּבֵן֙ בָּנ֔וּ אֶת־ חֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן וְאֶת־ אֶלְעָלֵ֑א וְאֵ֖ת קִרְיָתָֽיִם׃
8 of the 9 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.
ובני ראובן בנו את חשׁבון ואת אלעלה ואת קריתים
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: אלעלה (Elealeh)
ובני ראובן בנו [את] [חשבון] [ואת] [אלעלא] [ואת] [קריתים]
2 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 6 supplied entire by an editor.
[ובני] ראובן בנו את חשבון [ואת] [אלעלה] [ואת] [קריתים]
1 word on the leather — 3 partly restored, 5 supplied entire by an editor.
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 Numbers 32:37
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.
בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.
בֵּן 4870 n.m. son
son, male child, born of a woman
children (male and female)
youth, young men
the young of animals
of plant shoots
fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
member of a guild, order or class
of animals son of (the) herd
ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
n. relat. of age
base
בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.
done
H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman
. children (male and female)
. youth, young men
. the young of animals
. of plant shoots
. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
. . member of a guild, order or class
. of animals son of (the) herd
. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
. n. relat. of age
H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son
1121 ben bane
from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the
widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,
including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,
etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)
(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,
(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,
bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X
came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of
first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +
kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)
people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +
spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous
one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 0251
בֵּן (ben) — son: child.
: child/son
בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;
son of: Jaaziah (H3269);
brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)
§ Beno = "his son"
the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)
בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.
: descendant, people, tribe, nation
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : child/son
בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.
: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : descendant
בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.
: rebel/son(Belial)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : people/men/nation/tribe
בֵּן (ben) — son.
: [inheriting]son/heir
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.
: warrior/son(strong)
Conj | N-mp — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural constructHC/Ncmpc
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.
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…
רְאוּבֵן (Reuben) refers to the eldest son of Jacob and Leah, meaning 'behold a son.' He is the ancestor of the tribe of Reuben, which is mentioned in the context of the Old Testament. The name is derived from the imperative of the verb for 'see' and the word for 'son.' Reuben is first mentioned in Genesis 29:32.
רְאוּבֵן 71 n.pr.m. Reuben
eldest son of Jacob and Leah
as name of clan or tribe
base
H7205 רְאוּבֵן Reuben
7205 R'uwben reh-oo-bane'
from the imperative of 7200 and 1121; see ye a son; Reuben, a
son of Jacob:--Reuben.
see HEBREW for 07200
see HEBREW for 01121
רְאוּבֵן (re.u.ven) — Reuben.
A man of the tribe of Reuben living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.32;
son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);
brother of: Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);
half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144);
father of: Hanoch (H2585J), Pallu (H6396), Hezron (H2696) and Carmi (H3756)
§ Reuben = "behold a son"
1) the eldest son of Jacob by Leah
2) the tribe descended from Reuben
3) the territory inhabited by the tribe of Reuben
HNpm — Noun proper masculineHNpm
roo'-ben, ru'-ben (re'ubhen; Rhouben): The eldest son of Jacob, born to him by Leah in Paddan-aram (Ge 29:32).
1. Jacob's Oldest Son:
This verse seems to suggest two derivations of the name. As it stands in Massoretic Text it means "behold a son"; but the reason given for so calling him is "The Lord hath looked upon my affliction," which in Hebrew is ra'ah be`onyi, literally, "He hath seen my affliction." Of his boyhood we have only the story of the mandrakes (Ge 30:14). As the firstborn he should really have been leader among his father's sons. His birthright was forfeited by a deed of peculiar infamy (Ge 35:22), and as far as we know his tribe never took the lead in Israel. It is named first, indeed, in
Reuben
Behold a son!, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29:32). His sinful conduct, referred to in Gen. 35:22, brought down upon him his dying father’s malediction (48:4). He showed kindness to Joseph, and was the means of saving his life when his other brothers would have put him to death (37:21,22). It was he also who pledged his life and the life of his sons when Jacob was unwilling to let Benjamin go down into Egypt. After Jacob and his family went down into Egypt (46:8) no further mention is made of Reuben beyond what is recorded in ch. 49:3,4.
(behold a son), Jacob’s firstborn Child, (Genesis 29:32) the son of Leah. (B.C. 1753.) The notices of the patriarch Reuben give, on the whole a favorable view of his disposition. To him and him alone the preservation of Joseph’s life appears to have been due and afterward he becomes responsible for his safety. (Genesis 37:18-30; 42:37) Of the repulsive crime which mars his history, and which turned the blessing of his dying father into a curse --his adulterous connection with Bilhah-- we know from the Scriptures only the fact. (Genesis 35:22) He was of an ardent, impetuous, unbalanced but not ungenerous nature; not crafty and cruel, as were Simeon and Levi, but rather, to use the metaphor of the dying patriarch, boiling up…
Behold, a son! The eldest son of Jacob and Leah, so-called in reference to the sentiment of his mother, "The Lord hath looked on my affliction," Ge 29:32. Reuben, having defiled his father’s concubine Bilhah, lost his birthright and all the privileges of primogeniture, the preeminence in the family being given to Judah, and the double portion to the two sons of Joseph, Ge 35:22 48:5 49:3,4,8,10 1Ch 5:1,2. He shared in his brother’s jealousy of Joseph, and yet interposed to save his life at Dothan with the design of restoring him privately to his father, Ge 37:18-30. See also his well-meant proposal in Ge 42:27. His…
The Hebrew word בָּנָה (banah) means "to build" and encompasses various forms such as rebuilding, establishing, and making permanent. It can refer to physical construction, like building a house or family, as well as metaphorical uses, such as the establishment of restored exiles. The entries indicate that it can also imply being built up, particularly in the context of a childless wife becoming a mother.
בָּנָה 373 vb. build
Qal build
Niph.
be built
be rebuilt
(fig.) of restored exiles, = established
established, made permanent
base
H1129 בָּנָה build .build
.. . be built
. be rebuilt
. . (fig.) of restored exiles, = established
. established, made permanent
1129 banah baw-naw'
a primitive root; to build (literally and
figuratively):--(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make,
repair, set (up), X surely.
בָּנָה (ba.nah) — to build.
1) to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to build, rebuild
1a2) to build a house (ie, establish a family)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be built
1b2) to be rebuilt
1b3) established (of restored exiles) (fig.)
1b4) established (made permanent)
1b5) to be built up (of childless wife becoming the mother of a family through the children of a concubine)
Aramaic equivalent: be.nah (בְּנָה "to build" H1124)
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
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
חֶשְׁבּוֹן (Cheshbown) refers to a city associated with Sihon, the king of the Amorites. It is described as a stronghold and is located east of the Jordan River, marking the boundary between the tribes of Reuben and Gad. The name suggests a connection to the concept of strength.
חֶשְׁבּוֹן n.pr.loc. of the city of Sihon king of the Amorites
base
H2809 חֶשְׁבּוֹן of the city of Sihon king of the Amorites
2809 Cheshbown khesh-bone'
the same as 2808; Cheshbon, a place East of the
Jordan:--Heshbon.
see HEBREW for 02808
חֶשְׁבּוֹן (chesh.bon) — Heshbon.
§ Heshbon = "stronghold"
the capital city of Sihon, king of the Amorites, located on the western border of the high plain and on the border line between the tribes of Reuben and Gad
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
hesh'-bon (cheshbon; Hesebon): The royal city of Sihon king of the Amorites, taken and occupied by the Israelites under Moses (Nu 21:25 f, etc.). It lay on the southern border of Gad (Jos 13:26), and was one of the cities fortified by Reuben (Nu 32:37). It is reckoned among the cities of Gad given to the Merarite Levites (Jos 21:39). In later literature (Isa 15:4; 16:8 f; Jer 48:2,34,45; 49:3) it is referred to as a city of Moab. It passed again into Jewish hands, and is mentioned by Josephus (Ant., XIII, xv, 4) as among their possessions in the country of Moab…
Heshbon
Intelligence, a city ruled over by Sihon, king of the Amorites (Josh. 3:10; 13:17). It was taken by Moses (Num. 21:23-26), and became afterwards a Levitical city (Josh. 21:39) in the tribe of Reuben (Num. 32:37). After the Exile it was taken possession of by the Moabites (Isa. 15:4; Jer. 48:2, 34, 45). The ruins of this town are still seen about 20 miles east of Jordan from the north end of the Dead Sea. There are reservoirs in this district, which are probably the “fishpools” referred to in Cant. 7:4.
(stronghold), the capital city of Sihon king of the Amorites. (Numbers 21:26) It stood on the western border of the high plain --Mishor, (Joshua 13:17) --and on the boundary line between the tribes of Reuben and Gad. The ruins of Hesban , 20 miles east of the Jordan, on the parallel of the northern end of the Dead Sea mark the site, as they bear the name; of the ancient Heshbon. There are many cisterns among the ruins. Comp. (Solomon 7:4)
A celebrated city of the Amorites, twenty miles east of the mouth of the Jordan, Jos 3:10; 13:17. It was given to Reuben; but was afterwards transferred to Gad, and then to the Levites. It had been conquered from the Moabites by Sihon, and because his capital; and was taken by the Israelites a little before the death of Moses, Nu 21:25; Jos 21:39. After the ten tribes were transplanted into the country beyond the Euphrates, the Moabites recovered it, Isa 15:4; Jer 48:2,34,45. Its ruins are still called Hesban, and cover the sides of a hill seven miles north of Medeba.
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
The Hebrew word אֶלְעָלֵא (*El`ale*) refers to a village in the tribe of Reuben, located near Heshbon, and is noted to be in ruins. The name is interpreted to mean 'God is ascending.' It is derived from the roots for 'God' and 'to go up,' indicating a possible significance related to ascent.
אֶלְעָלֵא, ∥ אֶלְעָלֵה n.pr.loc. (God doth ascend?) of village in the tribe of Reuben, near Heshbon, in ruins
base
H500 אֶלְעָלֵא, ∥ אֶלְעָלֵה (God doth ascend?) of village in the tribe of Reuben, near Heshbon, in ruins
500 'El`ale' el-aw-lay'
or (more properly) GEl aleh {el-aw-lay'}; from 410 and 5927;
God (is) going up; Elale or Elaleh, a place east of the
Jordan:--Elealeh.
see HEBREW for 0410
see HEBREW for 05927
אֶלְעָלֵא (el.a.le) — Elealeh.
§ Elealeh = "God is ascending"
a Reubenite village near Heshbon (in ruins)
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
e-le-a'-le ('el`aleh, "God has ascended"):
Lay in the country taken from Sihon and within the lot given to Reuben (Nu 32:3,17 f). "Their names being changed" seems to apply to all the towns mentioned. There is no indication of the other names. Elealeh is noticed with Heshbon in the oracles against Moab in Isa 15:4; 16:9; Jer 48:34. Eusebius (Onomasticon) locates it one Roman mile from Heshbon. It is represented today by el'Al, a mound crowned with ruins, about a mile North of Chesban.
Elealeh
God has ascended, a place in the pastoral country east of Jordan, in the tribe of Reuben (Num. 32:3, 37). It is not again mentioned till the time of Isaiah (15:4; 16:9) and Jeremiah (48:34). It is now an extensive ruin called el-A’al, about one mile north-east of Heshbon.
(the ascending of God), a place on the east of Jordan, taken possession of and rebuilt by the tribe of Reuben. (Numbers 32:3,37) By Isaiah and Jeremiah it is mentioned as a Moabite town. (Isaiah 15:4; 16:9; Jeremiah 48:34)
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
קִרְיָתַ֫יִם (Qiryathayim) means 'double city' and refers to two locations in Palestine: one in Moab and another in Naphtali. The term is derived from the dual form of a related word, indicating its dual nature. It is mentioned in contexts related to cities and villages, specifically in Leviticus and 1 Chronicles.
קִרְיָתַ֫יִם n.pr.loc. (perh. double city)
in Moab
Levit. city in Naphtali
base
H7156 קִרְיָתַ֫יִם (perh. double city) . in Moab
. Levit. city in Naphtali
7156 Qiryathayim keer-yaw-thah'-yim
dual of 7151; double city; Kirjathaim, the name of two placed
in Palestine:--Kiriathaim, Kirjathaim.
see HEBREW for 07151
קִרְיָתַ֫יִם (qir.ya.ta.yim) — Kiriathaim.
Kiriathaim = "two cities"
a city east of the Jordan in Moab
Also named: qe.riy.yot (קְרִיּוֹת "Kerioth" H7152H)
קִרְיָתַ֫יִם (qir.ya.ta.yim) — Kiriathaim.
Kiriathaim, villages (1Ch.6.76)
§ Kiriathaim = "two cities"
a town in Naphtali allotted to the Gershonite Levites
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
kir-i-aitha'-im (qiryathaym, "two cities"; the King James Version, Kirjathaim):
(1) A city in the uplands of Moab formerly held by Sihon, and given by Moses to Reuben, who is said to have fortified it (Nu 32:37; Jos 13:19). It is named along with Elealeh and Nebo in the former passage, and with Sibmah in the latter. It was in the hands of Moab in Mesha's time, and he claims to have fortified it (M S, l.10). For Jeremiah (48:1,23) and Ezekiel (25:9) it is a Moabite town. Eusebius, Onomasticon, identifies it with Coraitha, a Christian village 10 Roman miles West of Madeba. This is the modern Qaraiyat, about 11 miles West of Madeba, and 5 miles East of Macherus. This, however, may represent Kerioth, while the towns with which it is named would lead us to look for Kiriathaim to the…
[KIRJATHAIM]
→ See KIRJATHAIM