Joel 3:21 — Word Study
WLCוְנִקֵּ֖יתִי דָּמָ֣ם לֹֽא־ נִקֵּ֑יתִי וַֽיהוָ֖ה שֹׁכֵ֥ן בְּצִיּֽוֹן׃
BSAand I will leave unpunishedve.ni.Kei.ti■ blood theirda.Mam [which] notlo'- I left unpunishedni.Kei.ti■ ◂and Yahwehva.Yah.weh [is] dwellingsho.Khen in Zionbe.tzi.Yon
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְנִקֵּ֖יתִי | and I will leave unpunished | Verb, Piel, sequential perfect first person common singular |
| דָּמָ֣ם | blood their | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| לֹֽא־ | [which] not | Particle |
| נִקֵּ֑יתִי | I left unpunished | Verb, Piel, perfect first person common singular |
| וַֽיהוָ֖ה | and Yahweh | Conjunction, noun proper |
| שֹׁכֵ֥ן | [is] dwelling | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine singular |
| בְּצִיּֽוֹן׃ | in Zion | Preposition, noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | For I will avenge their blood, which I have not yet avenged. ” For the LORD dwells in Zion. |
| KJV | For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion. |
| ASV | And I will cleanse their blood, that I have not cleansed: for Jehovah dwelleth in Zion. |
| YLT | And I have declared their blood innocent, [That] I did not declare innocent, And Jehovah is dwelling in Zion! |
| WEB | I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed, for the LORD dwells in Zion.” |
| BBE | And I will send punishment for their blood, for which punishment has not been sent, for the Lord is living in Zion. |
Where they part company is נִקֵּ֖יתִי — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence features a main clause about avenging and a subordinate clause that clarifies what has not yet been avenged, concluding with a statement of God's presence.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectH3068
verbH5352
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 — Joel 3:21
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 Promise of Vengeancegenerated
Joel 3:21 expresses God's commitment to avenge the blood of the innocent, which has not yet been avenged. This verse emphasizes God's justice and His dwelling in Zion, a symbol of His presence and protection over His people. The surrounding verses depict a time of restoration and judgment, contrasting the fate of Judah with that of its oppressors.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 4:4 | when the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains from the heart of Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. |
| 2 | Ezekiel 36:25–29 | I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. |
| 3 | Matthew 27:25 | All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” |
| 4 | Joel 3:17 | Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who dwells in Zion, My holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy, never again to be overrun by foreigners. |
| 5 | Ezekiel 48:35 | The perimeter of the city will be 18,000 cubits, and from that day on the name of the city will be: THE LORD IS THERE. ” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נִקֵּ֖יתִי, ni.Kei.tigenerated
The verb נִקֵּ֖יתִי (ni.Kei.ti) is a perfect form in the Piel stem, indicating an action that has been completed. It means 'I will leave unpunished' or 'I will clear,' emphasizing God's role in ensuring justice for the blood that has been shed.
This word carries a moral weight, as it speaks to the concept of being free from guilt or punishment. The use of this verb here highlights God's intent to rectify wrongs and bring about justice for those who have suffered.
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 main verb נִקֵּ֖יתִי (ni.Kei.ti) governs the verse, indicating God's action of avenging. The structure includes two clauses: one describing the action of avenging and the other affirming God's dwelling.
The placement of the subject יהוָ֖ה (Yahweh) at the end emphasizes God's sovereignty and presence in the context of justice being served.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates נִקֵּ֖יתִי as ἐκδικήσω (ekdikēsō), meaning 'I will take vengeance.' This choice reflects a more explicit emphasis on the act of vengeance rather than the concept of leaving unpunished, highlighting the severity of God's response.
The term used in the Septuagint aligns with the broader theme of divine justice, reinforcing the idea that God will act decisively against wrongdoing.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Joel 3:21 tells us that God will take vengeance for the blood that has been shed, indicating that He has not yet avenged it. This verse also affirms that the LORD dwells in Zion, a place of His presence and protection.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies God's commitment to justice for those who have been wronged, ensuring that their suffering is recognized and addressed.
Zion represents God's chosen dwelling place, symbolizing His presence, protection, and the fulfillment of His promises to His people.
In biblical terms, blood often symbolizes life, guilt, and the consequences of violence, highlighting the seriousness of the injustices that have occurred.
This verse is part of a larger proclamation of judgment and restoration, contrasting the fate of Judah with that of its enemies, emphasizing God's justice and care for His people.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I seen God bring justice in my own life?
- How can I better understand the significance of God's presence in my life, as represented by Zion?
- What does it mean for me to trust in God's timing for justice?
- How can I respond to injustices I see around me in a way that reflects God's character?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Joel 3:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleFor I will cleanse their blood [which] I have not cleansed,.... Which some understand, as the Targum, of the Lord's, inflicting further punishments on the, enemies of his people, for shedding their
Read John Gill on Joel 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryFor I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed - I will purge away from Judah the extreme guilt (represented by "blood,"
Read Robert Jamieson on Joel 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleFor, Heb. And. Cleanse; purge away, both by the Spirit of sanctification, and by free pardon in the blood of the Redeemer; by their sufferings also, by the waters of affliction, as well as by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Their blood; their moral pollutions and sinfulness, compared here unto blood, as also ,9; and so men in sinful state are called flesh and blood, . God will pardon and purify believers, and when they are pardoned and purified, nothing attempted against them shall succeed. That I have not cleansed; which before I had not taken away; what was wanting in their sanctification, or justification and reconciliation, I will make up in them and to them.…
Read Matthew Poole on Joel 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJoe 3:21 For I will cleanse their blood [that] I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.Ver. 21. For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed] i.e. I will clear their consciences from dead works, from the stain and sting of all sin, that they may not question their right to these precious promises, but boldly take the comfort of them. I will say unto them, Such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are justified, but ye are sanctified. Be of good cheer, therefore, since your sins, your bloody sins, are forgiven you. Or thus, "I will cleanse their blood," that is, I will declare that the blood of the godly, which the world thought to have been justly spilt, was…
Read John Trapp on Joel 3 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(21) I will cleanse . . .—The LXX. translate this sentence, “I will avenge their blood, and not leave it unavenged”—i.e., the “innocent blood” mentioned in Joe 3:19; but the promise seems rather to indicate, as in the English Version, the extension of God’s pardon to those hitherto unpardoned. The Lord dwelleth in Zion—i.e., over a raging and swelling world, probably unconscious of Him, the Lord nevertheless reigns in the heavenly Jerusalem, and all His redeemed shall dwell securely under His eternal rule. “And the name of the city from that day shall be Jehovah Shammah, the LORD IS THERE (Ezekiel 48:35).
Read Charles John Ellicott on Joel 3 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 21. For I will cleanse their blood] נקיתי nikkeythi, I will avenge the slaughter and martyrdom of my people, which I have not yet avenged. Persecuting nations and persecuting Churches shall all come, sooner or later, under the stroke of vindictive justice. For the Lord dwelleth in Zion.] He shall be the life, soul, spirit, and defense of his Church for ever. THIS prophet, who has many things similar to Ezekiel, ends his prophecy nearly in the same way: Ezekiel says of the glory of the Church, יהוה שמה Yehovah shammah, THE LORD IS THERE. Joel says, יהוה שכן בציון Yehovah shochen betsiyon, THE LORD DWELLETH IN ZION. Both point out the continued indwelling of Christ among his people.
Read AdamClarke on Joel 3 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges21. And I will hold as innocent (R.V. marg.) their blood which I have not held as innocent] By the desolation of Egypt and Edom, Jehovah will shew openly that the murdered Judahites (Joe 3:19 b) had suffered innocently. So long, namely, as He permitted their blood to remain unavenged, it might be supposed that they had not been slain unjustly: but by the punishment of the murderers (i.e. here, by the desolation of their country) Jehovah declares (implicitly), what He had not declared before, that their blood was innocent (Joe 3:19 b), and had been unjustly shed. Niḳ ?ḳ ?âh, to hold or declare innocent (Exodus 20:7; Job 9:28 al.), is chosen on account of nâḳ ?î’, innocent, in Joe 3:19. and…
Read Cambridge on Joel 3 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleFor I will cleanse her blood that I have not cleansed - The word rendered “cleansed” is not used of natural cleansing, nor is the image taken from the cleansing of the body.
Read Albert Barnes on Joel 3 →The verse in English, compared — 8 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
For I will avenge their blood, which I have not yet avenged. ” For the LORD dwells in Zion.
I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed, for the LORD dwells in Zion.”
Tyndale line
For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.
And I will cleanse their blood, that I have not cleansed: for Jehovah dwelleth in Zion.
For I will clense their blood, that I haue not clensed, and the Lord will dwell in Zion.
Simplified
And I will send punishment for their blood, for which punishment has not been sent, for the Lord is living in Zion.
Will I pardon and leave unpunished the shedding of innocent blood? The Lord lives in Zion!”
Strictly literal
And I have declared their blood innocent, [That] I did not declare innocent, And Jehovah is dwelling in Zion!
T4T (Translation for Translators) is not shown above. It restates the passage rather than the verse, so there is no line of English to set beside the others — which is a fact about that translation, not a fault in it.
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
וְנִקֵּ֖יתִי דָּמָ֣ם לֹֽא־ נִקֵּ֑יתִי וַֽיהוָ֖ה שֹׁכֵ֥ן בְּצִיּֽוֹן׃
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 Joel 3:21
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.
נָקָה (naqah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be clean or free from guilt, and it can also imply being empty or desolate. The entries indicate that it encompasses a range of meanings, including acquitting someone of guilt, being exempt from punishment, and being purged or cleaned out. The lexicons suggest various nuances, but they consistently focus on themes of innocence and cleanliness.
[נָקָה] vb. be empty(?), clean
Qal Inf. Abs.
Niph.
be cleaned out
be clean, free from guilt, innocent
be free, exempt from punishment
free, exempt from obligation
Pi.
hold innocent, acquit
leave unpunished
base
H5352 נָקָה be empty(?), clean .Inf. Abs.
. . be cleaned out
. be clean, free from guilt, innocent
. be free, exempt from punishment
. free, exempt from obligation
. . hold innocent, acquit
. leave unpunished
5352 naqah naw-kaw'
a primitive root; to be (or make) clean (literally or
figuratively); by implication (in an adverse sense) to be
bare, i.e. extirpated:--acquit X at all, X altogether, be
blameless, cleanse, (be) clear(-ing), cut off, be desolate, be
free, be (hold) guiltless, be (hold) innocent, X by no means,
be quit, be (leave) unpunished, X utterly, X wholly.
נָקָה (na.qah) — to clear.
1) to be empty, be clear, be pure, be free, be innocent, be desolate, be cut off
1a) (Qal) to be empty, be clean, be pure
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be cleaned out, be purged out
1b2) to be clean, be free from guilt, be innocent
1b3) to be free, be exempt from punishment
1b4) to be free, be exempt from obligation
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to hold innocent, acquit
1c2) to leave unpunished
Hc/Vpq1cs — Verb · Piel · sequential perfect first person common singularHc/Vpq1cs
דָּם (dam) means 'blood' and refers to the blood of both humans and animals. It is often associated with death, particularly when shed, and can also figuratively denote the juice of grapes or bloodshed. The term carries religious significance and is used in various contexts, including references to guilt and innocence.
דָּם 300 n.m. blood
blood of man or animal
usually blood become visible
blood used with religious significance
fig. of wine
base
H1818 דָּם blood
1818 dam dawm
from 1826 (compare 119); blood (as that which when shed
causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of
the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed
(i.e. drops of blood):--blood(-y, -guiltiness, (-thirsty), +
innocent.
see HEBREW for 01826
see HEBREW for 0119
דָּם (dam) — blood.
1) blood
1a) of wine (fig.)
HNcmsc/Sp3mp — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3mp
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
HTn — ParticleHTn
נָקָה (naqah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be clean or free from guilt, and it can also imply being empty or desolate. The entries indicate that it encompasses a range of meanings, including acquitting someone of guilt, being exempt from punishment, and being purged or cleaned out. The lexicons suggest various nuances, but they consistently focus on themes of innocence and cleanliness.
[נָקָה] vb. be empty(?), clean
Qal Inf. Abs.
Niph.
be cleaned out
be clean, free from guilt, innocent
be free, exempt from punishment
free, exempt from obligation
Pi.
hold innocent, acquit
leave unpunished
base
H5352 נָקָה be empty(?), clean .Inf. Abs.
. . be cleaned out
. be clean, free from guilt, innocent
. be free, exempt from punishment
. free, exempt from obligation
. . hold innocent, acquit
. leave unpunished
5352 naqah naw-kaw'
a primitive root; to be (or make) clean (literally or
figuratively); by implication (in an adverse sense) to be
bare, i.e. extirpated:--acquit X at all, X altogether, be
blameless, cleanse, (be) clear(-ing), cut off, be desolate, be
free, be (hold) guiltless, be (hold) innocent, X by no means,
be quit, be (leave) unpunished, X utterly, X wholly.
נָקָה (na.qah) — to clear.
1) to be empty, be clear, be pure, be free, be innocent, be desolate, be cut off
1a) (Qal) to be empty, be clean, be pure
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be cleaned out, be purged out
1b2) to be clean, be free from guilt, be innocent
1b3) to be free, be exempt from punishment
1b4) to be free, be exempt from obligation
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to hold innocent, acquit
1c2) to leave unpunished
HVpp1cs — Verb · Piel · perfect first person common singularHVpp1cs
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
HC/Npt — Conjunction · noun properHC/Npt
שָׁכַן (shakan) is a Hebrew verb meaning to settle down, abide, or dwell. It encompasses various forms of residing, both literally and figuratively, and includes nuances of establishing or causing to dwell. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, which express actions related to dwelling and establishing habitation.
שָׁכַן, שָׁכֵ֑ן 129 vb. settle down, abide, dwell
Qal
settle down to abide
abide, dwell
Pi.
make settle down, establish
make to dwell
Hiph.
lay
cause birds to settle
cause to dwell
base
H7931 שָׁכַן, שָׁכֵ֑ן settle down, abide, dwell
7931 shakan shaw-kan'
a primitive root (apparently akin (by transmission) to 7901
through the idea of lodging; compare 5531, 7925); to reside or
permanently stay (literally or figuratively):--abide,
continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-er), have habitation,
inhabit, lay, place, (cause to) remain, rest, set (up).
see HEBREW for 05531
see HEBREW for 07925
שָׁכַן (sha.khan) — to dwell.
1) to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to settle down to abide
1a2) to abide, dwell, reside
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to make settle down, establish
1b2) to make or cause to dwell
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to lay, place, set, establish, settle, fix
1c2) to cause to dwell or abide
Aramaic equivalent: she.khan (שְׁכֵן "to dwell" H7932)
HVqrmsa — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singularHVqrmsa
צִיּוֹן (Tsiyyôn) refers to Zion, often identified as a mountain in Jerusalem and a symbolic name for the city itself, particularly in prophetic contexts. The term is linked to the Hebrew word for Jerusalem and is noted for meaning 'parched place.' It is consistently recognized across lexicons as a proper noun.
צִיּוֹן 154 n.pr.loc. Ṣiyyôn, Zion
base
H6726 צִיּוֹן Ṣiyyôn, Zion
6726 Tsiyown tsee-yone'
the same (regularly) as 6725; Tsijon (as a permanent
capital), a mountain of Jerusalem:--Zion.
see HEBREW for 06725
צִיּוֹן (tsiy.yon) — Zion.
Zion = "parched place"
another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
HR/Npl — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
zi'-on (tsiyon; Sion):
1. Meaning of the Word
2. The Zion of the Jebusites
3. Zion of the Prophets
4. Zion in Later Poetical Writings and Apocrypha
5. Omission of Name by Some Writers
6. The Name "Zion" in Christian Times
LITERATURE
1. Meaning of the Word:
A name applied to Jerusalem, or to certain parts of it, at least since the time of David. Nothing certain is known of the meaning. Gesenius and others have derived it from a Hebrew root tsahah, "to be dry"; Delitzsch from tsiwwah, "to set up" and Wetzstein from tsin, "to protect." Gesenius finds a more hopeful suggestion in the Arabic equivalent cihw, the Arabic cahwat signifying "ridge of a mountain" or "citadel," which at any rate suitably applies to what we know to have been the original Zion (compare Smith, HGHL, under the word).
Zion
Sunny; height, one of the eminences on which Jerusalem was built. It was surrounded on all sides, except the north, by deep valleys, that of the Tyropoeon (q.v.) separating it from Moriah (q.v.), which it surpasses in height by 105 feet. It was the south-eastern hill of Jerusalem.
When David took it from the Jebusites (Josh. 15:63; 2 Sam. 5:7) he built on it a citadel and a palace, and it became “the city of David” (1 Kings 8:1; 2 Kings 19:21, 31; 1 Chr. 11:5). In the later books of the Old Testament this name was sometimes used (Ps. 87:2; 149:2;
[JERUSALEM]
monument; raised up; sepulcher