### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **Ṭôwb**, represented by `{{H2897}}`, refers to **Tob, a region apparently East of the Jordan**. It appears only **2 times** across **2 unique verses**. Though its base definition is related to the word for "good," its scriptural usage is exclusively as a proper name, designating the specific land where Jephthah took refuge.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, the land of **Tob** `{{H2897}}` serves as a temporary home for Jephthah after he fled from his brethren [[Judges 11:3]]. It is characterized as a place where "vain men" were gathered to him, forming a band of followers. The strategic importance of this location is highlighted when the elders of Gilead travel to the land of **Tob** `{{H2897}}` to persuade Jephthah to return and lead them in battle against the children of Ammon [[Judges 11:5]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the context surrounding the land of Tob:
* `{{H3316}}` **Yiphtâch** (he will open; Jiphtach, an Israelite; Jephthah): The central figure whose exile to Tob is a pivotal moment in his story. He is sought out in Tob by the elders of Gilead to become their captain [[Judges 11:5]].
* `{{H1568}}` **Gilʻâd** (Gilad, a region East of the Jordan): This is the homeland Jephthah was expelled from and later returned to lead. The journey of the elders of Gilead to Tob establishes the direct connection between the two regions [[Judges 11:5]].
* `{{H7386}}` **rêyq** (empty; figuratively, worthless): This term describes the men who joined Jephthah in Tob, characterizing the land as a gathering place for outcasts who formed his fighting force [[Judges 11:3]].
### Theological Significance
The narrative significance of `{{H2897}}` is tied directly to the development of its key resident, Jephthah.
* **A Land of Exile:** Tob is established as a place of refuge for Jephthah after he is driven away by his own **brethren** `{{H251}}`, placing him outside the established societal structures of **Gilead** `{{H1568}}` [[Judges 11:3]].
* **A Gathering Point:** It was in the land of Tob that Jephthah **gathered** `{{H3950}}` a following of "vain" `{{H7386}}` **men** `{{H582}}`, demonstrating leadership capabilities that would later be sought by the elders [[Judges 11:3]].
* **A Source of Deliverance:** Though a place for outcasts, Tob becomes the location from which **Israel** `{{H3478}}` finds its military commander to face the threat of the **children** `{{H1121}}` of **Ammon** `{{H5983}}`, showing that leadership can arise from unexpected places [[Judges 11:5]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2897}}` is not a word with broad theological application but a specific geographical marker with immense narrative importance. It is the land that defines a crucial chapter in Jephthah's life, serving as the backdrop for his exile, the formation of his power base, and his eventual recall to be a deliverer. The story of the land of Tob illustrates how a place of rejection can become the source of a nation's salvation.
TRV