The Hebrew place name Gidʻôm, represented by H1440, is derived from a root meaning "a cutting (i.e. desolation)." It appears 1 times across 1 unique verses in the Bible. The name itself points to a place associated with being cut down or laid waste, a meaning that is directly reflected in its only biblical mention.
In the biblical narrative, H1440 marks the final stage of a brutal pursuit during the civil war against the tribe of Benjamin. After a devastating battle, the surviving Benjamites attempted to escape. The Israelite forces "turned and fled toward the wilderness," but the chase was relentless. The pursuit continued "hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them" Judges 20:45. Gidom is thus memorialized as the location where this desperate flight ended in further slaughter.
Several related words from the context of Judges 20:45 illuminate the action surrounding Gidom:
- H6437 pânâh (to turn; by implication, to face, i.e. appear, look, etc.): This word describes the initial action of the fleeing Benjamites as they turned toward the wilderness in an attempt to escape their pursuers Judges 20:45.
- H5127 nûwç (to flit, i.e. vanish away... escape; causatively, chase, impel, deliver): This captures the essence of the Benjamites' frantic effort to fled from the victorious Israelite army Judges 20:45.
- H1692 dâbaq (a primitive root; properly, to impinge, i.e. cling or adhere; figuratively, to catch by pursuit): This verb emphasizes the tenacity of the Israelites who pursued hard and caught up to the Benjamites on the way to Gidom Judges 20:45.
- H5221 nâkâh (a primitive root; to strike... kill, make (slaughter)...): This word marks the violent conclusion of the chase at Gidom, where the Israelites slew two thousand more men Judges 20:45.
The narrative significance of H1440 is tied directly to its role as a geographical marker of judgment and desolation.
- Endpoint of Pursuit: Gidom is not just a location but the destination that sealed the fate of a portion of the fleeing Benjamite remnant. The pursuit is explicitly noted as continuing "unto Gidom" Judges 20:45.
- A Place of Cutting Down: The meaning of the name—"a cutting"—is grimly fulfilled by the events that take place there. It becomes a site of "desolation" where two thousand men are cut down.
- Symbol of Defeat: In the context of the larger war, Gidom represents a point of no escape and the totality of the Benjamite defeat before they reached a temporary refuge at the rock of Rimmon.
In summary, H1440 is a name that appears only once but carries significant weight within its narrative. As Gidom, it is the geographic point where a desperate flight ended in a massacre. Its very definition, "a cutting," perfectly encapsulates its role in scripture as a place of desolation, forever marking the spot where two thousand men were slain during a devastating Israelite civil war Judges 20:45.
TRV