2 Chronicles 11:8 — Word Study
WLCוְאֶת־ גַּ֥ת וְאֶת־ מָרֵשָׁ֖ה וְאֶת־ זִֽיף׃
BSAGathGath [a major Philistine city, winepress] MareshahMarʼêshâh [in the lowlands of Judah] ZiphZîyph [a Judahite city, battlement]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| גַּ֥ת | Gath | Noun proper |
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| מָרֵשָׁ֖ה | Mareshah | Noun proper |
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| זִֽיף׃ | Ziph | Noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, |
| KJV | And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, |
| ASV | and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, |
| YLT | and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, |
| WEB | Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, |
| BBE | And Gath and Mareshah and Ziph |
All translations agree on the names of the cities listed.
The verse is a simple list of cities, showcasing the straightforward Hebrew style of enumeration.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, 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 — 2 Chronicles 11:8
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Cities of Judahgenerated
2 Chronicles 11:8 lists Gath, Mareshah, and Ziph as significant cities in the region of Judah. These cities reflect the strategic locations and historical significance within the territory, emphasizing the fortified nature of Judah's cities during the divided monarchy. The mention of these cities serves to illustrate the landscape and defenses of the kingdom.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Chronicles 18:1 | Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its villages from the hand of the Philistines. |
| 2 | Joshua 15:44 | Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah—nine cities, along with their villages. |
| 3 | Joshua 15:24 | Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, |
| 4 | 1 Samuel 23:14–19 | And David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God would not deliver David into his hand. |
| 5 | Psalm 54:1 | Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your might! |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — גַּת, gatgenerated
The word גַּת (gat) refers specifically to a major Philistine city, meaning 'winepress.' It is one of the chief cities of the Philistines and is known as the hometown of Goliath. Its mention here highlights the historical interactions between the Israelites and the Philistines.
Gath's significance lies not only in its geographical location but also in its cultural and military implications during the biblical narrative. The name evokes the image of a fortified city that played a crucial role in the conflicts between these two peoples.
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 structure of the verse consists of a main clause listing three noun phrases: גַּת (gat), מָרֵשָׁה (ma.re.Shah), and זִֽיף (Zif). This straightforward enumeration reflects the Hebrew style of listing items.
The use of the conjunction וְ (ve) before each city serves to connect the items in the list, indicating that they are all part of the same category of significant cities.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates גַּת as γεθ, which retains the name of the city. This consistency suggests that the translators recognized the importance of Gath in both the Hebrew and Greek contexts.
The other cities are also rendered directly, indicating that the Septuagint translators aimed to preserve the original names and their significance.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
2 Chronicles 11:8 lists three cities: Gath, Mareshah, and Ziph. Gath is a major Philistine city, Mareshah is located in the lowlands of Judah, and Ziph is a city known for its battlements. These cities were significant in the history and defense of Judah.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Gath was a major Philistine city and is notable for being the hometown of Goliath.
Mareshah is found in the lowlands of Judah and is associated with the Shephelah region.
Ziph means 'battlement' and refers to both a city in Judah and a person from the tribe of Judah.
These cities are mentioned to highlight the fortified locations within Judah during the time of the divided monarchy.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What do the cities listed in this verse reveal about the historical context of Judah?
- How do the names of these cities reflect their significance in the biblical narrative?
- In what ways did the geography of these cities influence the events in the history of Israel?
- What can we learn from the strategic importance of these cities in the defense of Judah?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 2 Chronicles 11:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd Gath,.... Which cannot be that Gath which was one of the principalities of the Philistines, but a city in the tribe of Judah; though of it we nowhere else read; unless this is the same with
Read John Gill on 2 Chronicles 11 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Chronicles 11 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(8) Gath.—Uncertain. Perhaps in the Wady-el-Gat north of Ascalon. (See 1 Kings 2:39 and 1 Chronicles 18:1, from a comparison of which it appears that, under Solomon, Gath was ruled by a vassal king.) Mareshah.—Marash; a ruin two miles south of Beit-jibrin, Eleutheropolis (Joshua 15:44; 2 Chronicles 14:9). Ziph.—Tel Zif; ruins about one hour and a quarter south east of Hebron (Joshua 15:55; 1 Samuel 23:14, seqq.) Another Judean Ziph is mentioned (Joshua 15:24).
Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Chronicles 11 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges8. Gath] Cp. 1 Chronicles 18:1. Mareshah] in the Shephelah south of the modern Beit Jibrin. Cp. 2 Chronicles 14:9; 2 Chronicles 20:37. Ziph] Probably Tell-Zif south of Hebron.
Read Cambridge on 2 Chronicles 11 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleFor Gath, see Joshua 13:3 note. Its native king, Achish 1 Kings 2:39, is to he regarded, not as an independent monarch, but as one of the many vassal-kings over whom Solomon reigned 2 Chronicles 9:23.
Read Albert Barnes on 2 Chronicles 11 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible8. Gath — See note on 1 Samuel 5:8. Mareshah… Ziph — Joshua 15:44; Joshua 15:55.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on 2 Chronicles 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
Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
Tyndale line
And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
And Gath, and Maresha, and Ziph,
Strictly literal
and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
From the Latin
And Geth, and Maresa, and Ziph,
Simplified
Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
And Gath and Mareshah and Ziph
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text lists the cities as וְאֶת־ גַּ֥ת וְאֶת־ מָרֵשָׁ֖ה וְאֶת־ זִֽיף׃, while the Septuagint matches five of the six words, confirming the general agreement in naming these cities.
וְאֶת־ גַּ֥ת וְאֶת־ מָרֵשָׁ֖ה וְאֶת־ זִֽיף׃
5 of the 6 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 2 Chronicles 11:8
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)
HC/To — Conjunction · particleHC/To
גַּת (gat) refers to a Philistine city, meaning 'winepress.' It is noted as one of the five chief cities of the Philistines and is recognized as the native city of Goliath. The entries consistently identify it as a proper noun related to a specific location.
גַּת n.pr.loc. (wine-press)—Philistine city
base
H1661 גַּת
1661 Gath gath
the same as 1660; Gath, a Philistine city:--Gath.
see HEBREW for 01660
גַּת (gat) — Gath.
§ Gath = "winepress"
one of the five royal or chief cities of the Philistines and the native city of Goliath
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…
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
מָרֵשָׁה (Mar'eshah) refers to a location in the lowlands of Judah, meaning 'crest of a hill.' It is associated with two Israelites and is noted in the context of the Shephelah region. The name appears in 1 Chronicles 4:21, where it identifies a man from the tribe of Judah.
מָרֵשָׁה and מָרֵאשָׁה n.pr.loc. (etym. dub.) in (the Shephelah of) Judah
base
H4762 מָרֵשָׁה, מָרֵאשָׁה, מַרְאֵשָׁה, מַרֵשָׁה
4762 Mar'eshah mar-ay-shaw'
or Mareshah {mar-ay-shaw'}; formed like 4761; summit;
Mareshah, the name of two Israelites and of a place in
Palestine:--Mareshah.
see HEBREW for 04761
מָרֵשָׁה (mar.e.shah) — Mareshah.
§ Mareshah = "crest of a hill"
one of the cities in the lowlands of Judah
מָרֵשָׁה (mar.e.shah) — Mareshah.
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.21;
son of: Laadah (H3935)
§ Mareshah = "crest of a hill"
one of the cities in the lowlands of Judah
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
ma-re'-sha (mareshah; Septuagint: Codex Vaticanus Bathesar; Codex Alexandrinus Maresa): A town in the Shephelah of Judah named with Keilah and Achzib (Jos 15:44). It occupied such a position that Rehoboam thought well to fortify it for the protection of Jerusalem (2Ch 11:8). In the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah, Asa overwhelmed Zerah the Ethiopian and his army, pursuing them as far as Gezer (2Ch 14:9). From Mareshah came Eliezer the prophet who denounced disaster upon the commercial copartnery of Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah (2Ch 20:37). The place is mentioned in Mic (2Ch 1:15). Mareshah was plundered and burned by Judas…
Mareshah
Possession, a city in the plain of Judah (John. 15:44). Here Asa defeated Zerah the Ethiopian (2 Chr. 14:9, 10). It is identified with the ruin el-Mer’ash, about 1 1/2 mile south of Beit Jibrin.
A town in Judah, Jos 15:44, fortified by Rehobaoam, 2Ch 11:8, and the birthplace of Micah. In a valley near by, Asa defeated Zerah with an immense host of Ethiopians, 2Ch 14:9-13. It probably lay on the western border of Judah, just south of Eleutheropolis.
from the beginning; an inheritance
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
זִיף (ziyp) refers to Ziph, a city in southern Judah known for its location southeast of Hebron, described as a battlement. It is also the name of a man from the tribe of Judah, mentioned in the context of the Divided Monarchy. The entries indicate that Ziph has both geographical and personal significance in biblical texts.
זִיף n.pr.
n.pr.loc.
city S.E. from Hebron
city of southern Judah
n.pr.m. a son of יְהַלָּלְאֵל of Judah
base
H2128 זִיף
2128 Ziyph zeef
from the same as 2203; flowing; Ziph, the name of a place in
Palestine; also of an Israelite:--Ziph.
see HEBREW for 02203
זִיף (ziph) — Ziph.
§ Ziph = "battlement"
a city in southern Judah, between Ithnan and Telem
זִיף (ziph) — Ziph.
Ziph = "battlement"
a city of Judah, southeast of Hebron, between Carmel and Juttah in the highland district
Also named: zi.phi (זִיפִי "Ziphite" H2130)
זִיף (ziph) — Ziph.
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.2.42;
son of: Mareshah@1Ch.2.42 (H4337)
§ Ziph = "battlement"
1) a son of Jehaleleel, a descendant of Judah, and brother of Ziphah
2) a city in southern Judah, between Ithnan and Telem
3) a city of Judah, southeast of Hebron, between Carmel and Juttah in the highland district
זִיף (ziph) — Ziph.
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.16;
son of: Jehallelel (H3094);
brother of: Ziphah (H2129), Tiria (H8493) and Asarel (H0840)
§ Ziph = "battlement"
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
Ziph
Flowing. (1.) A son of Jehaleleel (1 Chr. 4:16).
(2.) A city in the south of Judah (Josh. 15:24), probably at the pass of Sufah.
(3.) A city in the mountains of Judah (Josh. 15:55), identified with the uninhabited ruins of Tell ez-Zif, about 5 miles south-east of Hebron. Here David hid himself during his wanderings (1 Sam. 23:19; Ps. 54, title).
(battlement), the name of two towns in Judah. In the south, named between Ithnan and Telem. (Joshua 15:24) It does not appear again in the history, nor has any trace of has been met with. In the highland district, named between Carmel and Juttah. (Joshua 15:55) The place is immortalized by its connection with David. (1 Samuel 23:14,15,24; 26:2) These passages show that at that time it had near it a wilderness (i,e, a waste pasture-ground) and a wood. The latter has disappeared but the former remains. The name of Zif if, found about three miles south of Hebron, attached to a rounded hill of some 100 feet in height, which is called Tell Zif . Son of Jehaleleel. (1 Chronicles…
A city of Judah, four miles south-east of Hebron; near it were wild fastness in which David for a long time lay hid, 1Sa 23:14,15.
this mouth or mouthful; falsehood