### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **Yidʼălâh**, represented by `{{H3030}}`, is the name of a place in Palestine known as Idalah. With a derivation that is uncertain, this word is one of the most specific in the Bible. It appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse**, serving a purely geographical purpose.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H3030}}` is in the book of Joshua, where it is mentioned in a list of cities. The text does not provide any narrative details about Idalah itself, but simply includes it as part of a defined territory. It is listed among other locations: "And Kattath, and Nahallal, and Shimron, and **Idalah**, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages" [[Joshua 19:15]].
### Related Words & Concepts
The context of `{{H3030}}` links it directly to several other places and descriptive terms found in the same verse:
* `{{H7005}}` **Qaṭṭâth** (littleness; Kattath, a place in Palestine): This city is listed immediately before Idalah in the same territorial allotment [[Joshua 19:15]].
* `{{H5096}}` **Nahălâl** (Nahalal or Nahalol, a place in Palestine): Another town mentioned in the list [[Joshua 19:15]], it is also noted as a place where the Canaanites continued to dwell [[Judges 1:30]].
* `{{H8110}}` **Shimrôwn** (guardianship; Shimron, the name of an Israelite and of a place in Palestine): Listed with Idalah [[Joshua 19:15]], Shimron is also mentioned as the city of a king who opposed Joshua [[Joshua 11:1]].
* `{{H1035}}` **Bêyth Lechem** (house of bread; Beth-Lechem, a place in Palestine; Bethlehem): A well-known city that appears alongside Idalah in this list [[Joshua 19:15]] and is later the hometown of David [[1 Samuel 17:12]].
* `{{H5892}}` **ʻîyr** (a city): This word categorizes Idalah and its neighbors. It is a broad term used for any guarded place or encampment, from a major settlement like the "city of God" [[Psalms 46:4]] to a town in a regional list.
* `{{H2691}}` **châtsêr** (a yard... also a hamlet... court, tower, village): This term describes the smaller settlements attached to the main cities like Idalah, signifying the "villages" associated with them [[Joshua 19:15]]. It is also used for the "courts" of the LORD's house [[Psalms 100:4]].
### Theological Significance
The significance of `{{H3030}}` is not theological but historical and administrative. Its value is found in its function within the biblical text.
* **Geographical Marker:** The name **Idalah** serves as a precise geographical data point, helping to establish the specific boundaries of the territories recorded in the book of Joshua [[Joshua 19:15]].
* **Part of a Whole:** The importance of `{{H3030}}` comes from its inclusion in a list of "twelve cities with their villages" [[Joshua 19:15]]. It is not meant to be understood in isolation but as one component of a larger, defined region in ancient Israel.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H3030}}` **Yidʼălâh** is a place name whose entire biblical identity is contained in a single verse. It does not carry narrative weight or symbolic meaning. Instead, its presence in [[Joshua 19:15]] serves the practical purpose of recording a specific location, demonstrating how the Bible functions not only as a theological text but also as a historical record of people, places, and territories.
TRV