### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **Yirʼôwn**, represented by `{{H3375}}`, identifies a place in Palestine known as **Iron**. It appears only **1 time** in **1 verse** in the entire Bible. The name is derived from a root word meaning **fearfulness**.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H3375}}` is in the book of Joshua, where it is listed as one of the fortified cities in the territory allotted to the tribes of Israel. The verse states: "And **Iron**, and Migdalel, Horem, and Bethanath, and Bethshemesh; nineteen cities with their villages" [[Joshua 19:38]]. Here, **Yirʼôwn** is simply named as a geographical location within a specific regional group.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words in the passage provide context for the nature and location of **Yirʼôwn**:
* `{{H5892}}` **ʻîyr** (city): This word classifies **Yirʼôwn** as a fortified or guarded place. The list in [[Joshua 19:38]] counts a total of nineteen **cities** `{{H5892}}`.
* `{{H2691}}` **châtsêr** (village): The passage notes that the nineteen cities were accompanied by their **villages**, indicating smaller, surrounding hamlets or enclosed yards.
* `{{H4027}}` **Migdal-ʼÊl** (tower of God): Listed immediately after **Yirʼôwn**, this name identifies another city in the same group, **Migdal-El**, highlighting the close geographical association of these locations.
### Theological Significance
While appearing only once, the context of `{{H3375}}` carries historical and geographical weight.
* **Territorial Inheritance:** **Yirʼôwn** is part of the inheritance allocated to the tribe of Naphtali as recorded in the book of Joshua [[Joshua 19:38]]. This list serves as a formal record of the fulfillment of God's promise of land.
* **Defined Region:** Its inclusion in a list with other fortified cities like **Migdal-el** `{{H4027}}`, **Horem** `{{H2765}}`, and **Beth-anath** `{{H1043}}` helps define a specific district within Naphtali's territory.
* **Incomplete Possession:** A later passage reveals that the tribe of Naphtali did not fully drive out the inhabitants of some of the cities in this region, such as Beth-anath and Beth-shemesh, but instead made them tributaries [[Judges 1:33]].
### Summary
In summary, **Yirʼôwn** `{{H3375}}` is not a theological term but a specific geographical marker. Its sole mention in scripture places it as a fortified city within the tribal allotment of Naphtali. The significance of **Iron** is derived entirely from its context, illustrating the detailed accounting of the promised land and highlighting the specific territories designated for the tribes of Israel.
TRV