Joshua 19:44 — Word Study
WLCוְאֶלְתְּקֵ֥ה וְגִבְּת֖וֹן וּבַעֲלָֽת׃
BSAEltekehʼEltᵉqêʼ [a city in Dan] GibbethonGibbᵉthôwn [meaning 'mound', a Philistine town] BaalathBaʻălâth [meaning 'mistress', a town in Dan]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְאֶלְתְּקֵ֥ה | and Eltekeh | Conjunction, noun proper |
| וְגִבְּת֖וֹן | and Gibbethon | Conjunction, noun proper |
| וּבַעֲלָֽת׃ | and Baalath | Conjunction, noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, |
| KJV | And Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath, |
| ASV | and Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath, |
| YLT | and Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath, |
| WEB | Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, |
| BBE | And Eltekeh and Gibbethon and Baalath |
All translations agree on the names of the cities listed in this verse.
The verse consists of a simple enumeration of city names, reflecting a straightforward listing without complex clauses.
5 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 — Joshua 19:44
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 Dangenerated
Joshua 19:44 lists Eltekeh, Gibbethon, and Baalath as cities allocated to the tribe of Dan. This passage is part of a larger section that details the distribution of land among the tribes of Israel, emphasizing the geographical and historical significance of these locations. The mention of these towns highlights the Levite cities and their importance in the biblical narrative.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua 21:23 | From the tribe of Dan they were given Elteke, Gibbethon, |
| 2 | 1 Kings 15:27 | Then Baasha son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired against Nadab, and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon of the Philistines while Nadab and all Israel were besieging the city. |
| 3 | 1 Kings 16:15 | In the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Zimri reigned in Tirzah for seven days. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon of the Philistines, |
| 4 | 1 Kings 9:18 | Baalath, and Tamar in the Wilderness of Judah, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֶלְתְּקֵא, ve.'el.te.Kehgenerated
The word אֶלְתְּקֵא (Eltekeh) is a proper noun referring to a specific city in the tribe of Dan. Its name is thought to mean 'let God spue thee out,' although the exact derivation is uncertain. As a Levitical city, it played a role in the distribution of land among the tribes of Israel.
Eltekeh appears in the context of geographical references in the Old Testament, indicating its significance in the biblical landscape. Its location is noted to be between Ekron and Timna, which situates it within the broader narrative of the Israelite settlement in Canaan.
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 is straightforward, with a list of three proper nouns connected by conjunctions: וְאֶלְתְּקֵ֥ה, וְגִבְּת֖וֹן, and וּבַעֲלָֽת׃. This simple enumeration reflects the Hebrew style of listing items.
Each city name is presented in a noun phrase format, indicating their equal status as locations within the territory of Dan.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אֶלְתְּקֵא as αλκαθα, גִבְּתוֹן as βεγεθων, and בַּעֲלָת as γεβεελαν. These choices suggest a consistent effort to convey the names of these towns, though the Greek forms differ from the Hebrew.
The Greek translations reflect a direct correspondence to the Hebrew names, maintaining the geographical significance of these locations.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Joshua 19:44 names three cities in the territory of Dan: Eltekeh, Gibbethon, and Baalath. These towns are part of the land allocated to the tribe of Dan, highlighting their historical and geographical importance.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Eltekeh is significant as a city allocated to the tribe of Dan, reflecting the historical geography of Israel.
Gibbethon means 'mound' and was a Philistine town that was given to the Levites.
Baalath refers to a town in Dan, meaning 'mistress', and is part of the biblical narrative.
These cities are important as they represent the allocation of land among the tribes of Israel and their historical significance in biblical times.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What do these city names tell us about the geography of ancient Israel?
- How does understanding the locations of these towns enhance our reading of the biblical narrative?
- In what ways do the names of these cities reflect their historical and cultural significance?
- How can we apply the lessons of land allocation and community in our own lives today?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Joshua 19:44 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd Eltekeh,.... Eltekeh was a city given to the Levites, Joshua 21:23; and supposed by some to be the same with Eltekon in the tribe of Judah given to the Danites, Joshua 15:59; and Gibbethon was in
Read John Gill on Joshua 19 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath, Eltekeh , [Septuagint, Alakatha] - unknown. Gibbethon , [Septuagint, Begethoon] - not yet traced.
Read Robert Jamieson on Joshua 19 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(41-46) All the towns mentioned here are identified by Conder. Zorah—Sur’ahEshtaol—Eshû’aIr-shemesh—Ain Sheme Shaalabbin—SelbîtAjalon—YâloJethlah—(Ruin) Beit TulAre all in sheet 17Elon—Beit ElloThimnathah—(Ruin) TibnehSheet 14Ekron-(akir, sheet 16)13For Gath-rimmon, Conder suggests Gath; but this he identifies with Tell-es-Safi, which is well within the territory of Judah (to the south of sheet 16). Me-jarkon, “the yellow water,” is thought to be the river ’Aujeh (sheet 13), and Rakkon, Tell-er-Rakkeit, to the north of the mouth of it. Japho is Jaffa, on the same sheet.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Joshua 19 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges44. Eltekeh, and Gibbethon] occur as Levitical cities in ch. Joshua 21:23. The sites are not identified; Baalath may be Deir Balût. It was fortified by Solomon (1 Kings 9:18), and is placed by Josephus near Gezer. See Jos. Ant. viii. 6. 1.
Read Cambridge on Joshua 19 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleDAN’S LOT, Joshua 19:40-48.[The territory assigned to Dan was the smallest of all the tribe divisions. But it was not without advantages.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Joshua 19 →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
Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,
Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,
Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,
Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,
Tyndale line
And Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath,
and Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath,
and Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath;
And Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath,
And Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalah,
Strictly literal
and El-tekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath,
and Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath,
and Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Ba‘alath,
And Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Ba'alath,
Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,
From the Latin
Elthece, Gebbethon and Balaath,
Simplified
Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,
And Eltekeh and Gibbethon and Baalath
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 listing of the cities אֶלְתְּקֵא, גִבְּתוֹן, and בַּעֲלָת. The Septuagint's word order and articles may differ, but the cities themselves are consistently matched.
וְאֶלְתְּקֵ֥ה וְגִבְּת֖וֹן וּבַעֲלָֽת׃
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 Joshua 19:44
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.
אֶלְתְּקֵא (Eltqe) refers to a location, specifically a Levitical city in the tribe of Dan, situated between Ekron and Timna. The name is thought to mean 'let God spue thee out.' The derivation of the word is uncertain, and it appears in the context of geographical references in the Old Testament.
אֶלְתְּקֵא, אֶלְתְּקֵה n.pr.loc. Levitical city in the tribe of Dan, between Ekron & Timna
base
H514 אֶלְתְּקֵא, אֶלְתְּקֵה
514 'Eltqe el-te-kay'
or (more properly) nEltqeh {el-te-kay'}; of uncertain
derivation; Eltekeh or Elteke, a place in Palestine:--
Eltekeh.
אֶלְתְּקֵא (el.te.qe) — Eltekeh.
§ Eltekeh = "let God spue thee out"
Levitical city in the tribe of Dan, between Ekron and Timna
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun properHC/Npl
Eltekeh
God is its fear, a city in the tribe of Dan. It was a city of refuge and a Levitical city (Josh. 21:23). It has been identified with Beit-Likia, north-east of latrum.
(God its fear), one of the cities in the border of Dan, (Joshua 19:44) which with its suburbs was allotted to the Kohathite Levites. (Joshua 21:23)
of grace or mercy
→ A city of the tribe of Dan Jos 19:44; 21:23
גִּבְּתוֹן (Gibbethon) refers to a Philistine city in ancient Palestine, described as a 'mound' or 'height.' It is noted for being allocated to the Kohathite Levites and is mentioned in the context of the tribe of Dan. The exact location of Gibbethon remains unknown.
גִּבְּתוֹן n.pr.loc. (mound, height) Philistine city; assigned to Dan, and to Levites: site unknown
base
H1405 גִּבְּתוֹן
1405 Gibbthown ghib-beth-one'
intensive from 1389; a hilly spot; Gibbethon, a place in
Palestine:--Gibbethon.
see HEBREW for 01389
גִּבְּתוֹן (gib.b.ton) — Gibbethon.
§ Gibbethon = "mound"
a Philistine town in Dan allocated to the Kohathite Levites
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun properHC/Npl
gib'-e-thon (gibbethon): A city in the territory of Da in the plain named with Eltekeh and Baalath (Jos 19:44), and assigned to the Kohathite Levites (Jos 21:23). Later we find it in the hands of the Philistines; and it was while besieging the city that Nadab was slain by Baasha (1Ki 15:27). After 25 years Omri, the general of Baasha, was here made king of the army when news reached them of Zimri s regicide (1Ki 16:15). It may possibly be identified with Kibbiah, which lies about 16 miles Southeast of Jaffa; but no certain identification is possible.
W. Ewing
Gibbethon
A height, a city of the Philistines in the territory of Dan, given to the Kohathites (Josh. 19:44; 21:23). Nadab the king of Israel, while besieging it, was slain under its walls by Baasha, one of his own officers (1 Kings 15:27). It was in the possession of the Philistines after the secession of the ten tribes (2 Chr. 11:13, 14).
(a hill), a town allotted to the tribe of Dan, (Joshua 19:44) and afterwards given with its "suburbs" to the Kohathite Levites. ch. (Joshua 21:23)
A city of the Philistines, within the bounds of the tribe of Dan, and assigned to the Levites, Jos 19:44; 21:23. The Philistines, however, were not excluded; and in the time of Nadab they were its masters, and he was slain by Baasha while besieging it, 1Ki 15:27; 16:15. Its after-history, and its site are unknown.
בַּעֲלָת (Ba`alath) refers to a location in Palestine, specifically a city in the territory of Dan. The term is derived from a root meaning 'mistressship.' It is noted in various lexicons primarily as a proper noun, with no significant disagreement among sources.
בַּעֲלָת n.pr.loc. a city of Dan
base
H1191 בַּעֲלָת
1191 Ba`alath bah-al-awth'
a modification of 1172; mistressship; Baalath, a place in
Palestine:--Baalath.
see HEBREW for 01172
בַּעֲלָת (ba.a.lat) — Baalath.
§ Baalath = "mistress"
a town in Dan
בַּעֲלָת (ba.a.lat) — Baalath.
§ Baalath = "mistress"
a town in Dan
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun properHC/Npl
ba'-a-lath ba`alath; (A, Baalon): between Shikkeron (Ekron) and Jabnoel unless, as seems probable, the suggestion of M. Clermont-Ganneau (Rev. Crit, 1897, 902) is correct that for har ( = "mount"), we should read nahar ("river"). In this case the border in question would be the Nahr rubin. Here there is an annual feast held--attended by all classes and famous all over Syria--which appears to be a real survival of "Baal worship."
(1) A town on the border of Da (Jos 19:44) associated with Eltekeh and Gibbethon--possibly Bela`in.
(2) ("Mistress-ship"): A store city of Solomon, mentioned with Beth-horon (1Ki 9:18; 2Ch 8:6) and possibly the same as (1).
Baalath
A town of the tribe of Dan (Josh. 19:44). It was fortified by Solomon (1 Kings 9:18; 2 Chr. 8:6). Some have identified it with Bel’ain, in Wady Deir Balut.
[BAAL, Nos. 3,4]