Nehemiah 11:26 — Word Study
WLCוּבְיֵשׁ֥וּעַ וּבְמוֹלָדָ֖ה וּבְבֵ֥ית פָּֽלֶט׃
BSAin JeshuaYêshûwaʻ [a city of refuge, a place of salvation] MoladahMôwlâdâh [a town of birth, a city of new beginnings] and Beth-peletBêyth Peleṭ [the house of escape, a place of refuge]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּבְיֵשׁ֥וּעַ | and in Jeshua | Conjunction, preposition, noun proper |
| וּבְמוֹלָדָ֖ה | and in Moladah | Conjunction, preposition, noun proper |
| וּבְבֵ֥ית | and in Beth | Conjunction, preposition, noun proper |
| פָּֽלֶט׃ | Pelet | Noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | in Jeshua, Moladah, and Beth-pelet; |
| KJV | And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Beth-phelet, |
| ASV | and in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and Beth-pelet, |
| YLT | and in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and in Beth-Phelet, |
| WEB | in Jeshua, in Moladah, Beth Pelet, |
| BBE | And in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and Beth-pelet, |
The translations are consistent in naming the towns: יֵשׁוּעַ, מוֹלָדָה, and בֵּית פָּלֶט.
The structure is a series of prepositional phrases, emphasizing the locations where the people settled.
5 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, AdamClarke, Cambridge, Barnes & 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 — Nehemiah 11:26
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 Inhabitants of Judahgenerated
Nehemiah 11:26 lists the towns where some of the people of Judah settled after returning from exile. This census highlights the restoration of the community and their connection to their ancestral lands, emphasizing the importance of these locations in their history. The towns mentioned are significant for their roles in the life of the Israelites, serving as places of refuge and new beginnings.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua 15:26 | Amam, Shema, Moladah, |
| 2 | Joshua 19:2 | and included Beersheba (or Sheba), Moladah, |
| 3 | Joshua 15:27 | Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יֵשׁוּעַ, u.ve.ye.Shu.a'generated
The name יֵשׁוּעַ (*Yeshuwa`*) means 'he will save.' It is associated with several figures in the Old Testament, including a leader during the return from exile. The parsing indicates that it is a proper noun, suggesting a specific identity tied to Israel's history.
Jeshua is not only a personal name but also denotes a city in southern Judah, reflecting both a geographical and historical significance. The name's presence in the context of the verse underscores the theme of salvation and refuge.
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 verse consists of a series of prepositional phrases, each beginning with the conjunction וּבְ (and in), listing the towns where the people settled. The structure emphasizes the collective identity of the Judahites as they reestablish their presence in these locations.
The repetition of the preposition creates a rhythmic listing, highlighting the importance of each place as part of the community's restoration.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint does not provide a direct translation for the names listed in this verse, indicating a possible focus on the geographical significance rather than the specific Hebrew terms. This choice may reflect a broader interpretation of the towns' roles in the Jewish diaspora.
The absence of a direct Greek equivalent for some names suggests that the translators may have prioritized the meaning of the locations over their exact Hebrew forms.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Nehemiah 11:26 tells us that people from Judah lived in three specific towns: Jeshua, Moladah, and Beth-pelet. Each of these towns has its own significance in the history of the Israelites, representing places of refuge and new beginnings as they settled back in their homeland.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Jeshua means 'he will save' and is associated with several important figures in the Old Testament.
Moladah means 'birth' and represents a town where the people of Judah settled, symbolizing new beginnings.
Beth-pelet means 'house of escape' and signifies a place of refuge for the people of Judah.
These towns reflect the heritage and history of the Judahites, marking their restoration after exile.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What do the names of these towns tell us about the identity of the people who lived there?
- How can we see the significance of place in our own lives and communities?
- What does it mean to find refuge in our own 'Beth-pelet' today?
- In what ways can we honor our heritage as the Israelites did after their return from exile?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Nehemiah 11:26 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Bethphelet, Moladah (see the note at Joshua 15:26) - in the south of Judah.
Read Robert Jamieson on Nehemiah 11 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 26. And at Jeshua] This city is nowhere else mentioned.
Read AdamClarke on Nehemiah 11 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges26. Jeshua] Not mentioned elsewhere. Some suppose that the name is a corruption of Shema (Joshua 15:26.) Moladah] Cf. Joshua 15:26. Beth-phelet] R.V. Beth-pelet. Cf. Joshua 15:27.
Read Cambridge on Nehemiah 11 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleMany of the places mentioned in these verses are mentioned in Joshua 15:27-39; Joshua 18:21-28.
Read Albert Barnes on Nehemiah 11 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible26-35. On Moladah, see Joshua 15:26. Beer-sheba — Joshua 15:28.Ziklag — 1 Samuel 27:6. Jarmuth — Joshua 15:35. Lachish — Joshua 10:3. Valley of Hinnom — Joshua 15:8. Geba — Joshua 18:24. Michmash — 1 Samuel 13:2.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Nehemiah 11 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
in Jeshua, Moladah, and Beth-pelet;
in Jeshua, in Moladah, Beth Pelet,
in Jeshua, Moladah, and Beth-pelet;
in Jeshua, in Moladah, in Beth Pelet,
Tyndale line
And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Beth-phelet,
and in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and Beth-pelet,
and in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and Beth-pelet;
And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Beth-phelet,
And in Ieshua, and in Moladah, and in Beth palet,
Strictly literal
and in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and in Beth-phelet,
and in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and in Beth-Phelet,
and in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and in Beth-Phelet,
And at Jeshua', and at Moladah, and at Beth-phelet,
and in Jeshua, Moladah, Beth Pelet,
From the Latin
And at Jesue, and at Molada, and Bethphaleth,
Simplified
in Jeshua, Moladah, and Beth-pelet;
And in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and Beth-pelet,
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 show agreement in the mention of Jeshua and Moladah, but the Septuagint does not provide a direct translation for Beth-pelet. This indicates a level of consistency in the names recognized in both texts, even if the Greek lacks a full representation.
וּבְיֵשׁ֥וּעַ וּבְמוֹלָדָ֖ה וּבְבֵ֥ית פָּֽלֶט׃
2 of the 4 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Nehemiah 11:26
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.
The Hebrew word יֵשׁוּעַ (*Yeshuwa`*) refers to Jeshua, meaning 'he will save.' It is associated with several figures in the Old Testament, including Moses' successor, a high priest after the restoration, and various priests and leaders during the Divided Monarchy and Exile. The term also denotes a town in southern Judah. There are multiple references to Jeshua across different contexts, highlighting his significance in Israel's history.
יְהוֹשׁוּעַ, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, and (later) יֵשׁוּעַ, n.pr.m. (& loc., v. 9 infr.) (י׳ is salvation or י׳ is opulence)
Moses’ successor, son of Nun
a Bethshemite
h.p. after the restoration, son of Jehozadak
governor of Jerusalem under Josiah
head of one of the classes of priests
a Levitical family-name of frequent occurrence
father of a builder at the wall
a Judaite family-name
n.pr.loc. in south of Judah
base
H3442 יְהוֹשׁוּעַ, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ
3442 Yeshuwa` yay-shoo'-ah
for 3091; he will save; Jeshua, the name of ten Israelites,
also of a place in Palestine:--Jeshua.
see HEBREW for 03091
יֵשׁוּעַ (ye.shu.a) — Jeshua.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.11;
son of: Jozadak (H3136)
§ Jeshua = "he is saved"
1) son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan
2) son of Jehozadak and high priest after the restoration
3) a priest in the time of David who had charge of the 9th course
4) a Levite in the reign of Hezekiah
5) head of a Levitical house which returned from captivity in Babylon
6) father of a builder of the wall of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah
7) a town in southern Judah reinhabited by the people of Judah after the return from captivity
יֵשׁוּעַ (ye.shu.a) — Jeshua.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Ch.31.15
§ Jeshua = "he is saved"
Conj | Prep | N-proper — Conjunction · preposition · noun properHC/R/Npl
jesh'-u-a, je-shu'-a (yeshua`): A place occupied by the children of Judah after their return from captivity (Ne 11:26), evidently, from the places named with it, in the extreme South of Judah. It may correspond with the Shema of Jos 15:26, and possibly to the Sheba of 19:2. The site may be Khirbet Sa`weh, a ruin upon a prominent hill, Tell es Sa`weh, 12 miles East-Northeast of Beersheba. The hill is surrounded by a wall of large blocks of stone. PEF, III, 409-10, Sh XXV.
Jeshua
(1.) Head of the ninth priestly order (Ezra 2:36); called also Jeshuah (1 Chr. 24:11).
(2.) A Levite appointed by Hezekiah to distribute offerings in the priestly cities (2 Chr. 31:15).
(whom Jehovah helps), one of the towns reinhabited by the people of Judah after the return from captivity. (Nehemiah 11:26) It is not mentioned elsewhere.
Or JOSHUA, son of Josedech, was high priest of the Jews at their return from the captivity, and acted well his part in the restoration of the city, the temple, and the divine worship, Ezr 4:3 5:2. His name occurs in the prophecies of the time, Hag 1:1 2:2 Zec 3:1-10 6:11-15.
מוֹלָדָה (Mowladah) refers to a place in Palestine, specifically a town in the territory of Simeon. The word is derived from the root meaning 'birth' and can also denote 'race.' It appears in the context of geographical locations in the Old Testament.
מוֹלָדָה, מֹלָדָה n.pr.loc. town in Simeon
base
H4137 מוֹלָדָה, מֹלָדָה
4137 Mowladah mo-law-daw'
from 3205; birth; Moladah, a place in Palestine:--Moladah.
see HEBREW for 03205
מוֹלָדָה (mo.la.dah) — Moladah.
§ Moladah = "birth" or "race"
a town in the south of Canaan allocated to Judah then reallocated to Simeon
Conj | Prep | N-proper — Conjunction · preposition · noun properHC/R/Npl
mol'-a-da, mo-la'-da (moladhah; Molada): A place in the far south (Negebh) of Judah, toward Edom (Jos 15:26), reckoned to Simeon (Jos 19:2; 1Ch 4:28). It was repopulated after the captivity (Ne 11:26). It is mentioned always in close proximity to Beersheba. Moladah is probably identical with Malatha, a city in Idumea to which Agrippa at one time withdrew himself (Josephus, Ant, XVIII, vi, 2). The site of this latter city has by Robinson and others been considered to be the ruins and wells of Tell el-Milch, some 13 miles to the East of Beersheba and some 7 miles Southwest of Arad. The chief difficulty is the statement of Eusebius and Jerome that Malatha was "by Jattir,"…
Moladah
Birth, a city in the south of Judah which fell to Simeon (Josh. 15:21-26; 19:2). It has been identified with the modern el-Milh, 10 miles east of Beersheba.
(birth, race), a city of Judah, one of those which lay in the district of "the south." (Joshua 15:26; 19:2) In the latter tribe it remained at any rate till the reign of David, (1 Chronicles 4:28) but by the time of the captivity it seems to have come back into the hands of Judah, by whom it was reinhabited after the captivity. (Nehemiah 11:26) It may be placed at el-Milh , which is about 4 English miles from Tell Arad , 17 or 18 from Hebron, and 9 or 10 due east of Beersheba.
birth; generation
בֵּית פָּ֑לֶט n.pr.loc. (place of escape) in south of Judah; cf. adj.gent. הַפַּלְטִי
base
H1046 בֵּית פָּ֑לֶט, פַּלְטִי
1046 Beyth Pelet bayth peh'-let
from 1004 and 6412; house of escape; Beth- Palet, a place in
Palestine:--Beth-palet.
see HEBREW for 01004
see HEBREW for 06412
בֵּית פָּ֑לֶט (bet pe.let) — Beth-pelet.
§ Beth-palet = "house of escape" or "place of escape"
a place in southern Judah
N-proper — Conjunction · preposition · noun properHC/R/Npl
Beth
Occurs frequently as the appellation for a house, or dwelling-place, in such compounds as the words immediately following:
the most general word for a house or habitation. It has the special meaning of a temple or house of worship Beth is more frequently employed in compound names of places than any other word.
House, forms a part of many compounds names of places, and sometimes means the place or dwelling; and at others the temple. This word becomes Beit in modern Arabic.
בֵּית פָּ֑לֶט n.pr.loc. (place of escape) in south of Judah; cf. adj.gent. הַפַּלְטִי
base
H1046 בֵּית פָּ֑לֶט, פַּלְטִי
1046 Beyth Pelet bayth peh'-let
from 1004 and 6412; house of escape; Beth- Palet, a place in
Palestine:--Beth-palet.
see HEBREW for 01004
see HEBREW for 06412
בֵּית פָּ֑לֶט (bet pe.let) — Beth-pelet.
§ Beth-palet = "house of escape" or "place of escape"
a place in southern Judah
HNpl — Noun properHNpl
Pelet
Deliverance. (1.) A descendant of Judah (1 Chr. 2:47).
(2.) A Benjamite who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:3).
(liberation), A son of Jahdai in an obscure genealogy. (1 Chronicles 2:47) The son of Azmaveth, that is, either a native of the place of that name or the son of one of David’s heroes. (1 Chronicles 12:3) (B.C. about 1015.)