The Hebrew word Yithlâh, represented by H3494, is the name of a place in Palestine, Jethlah. The name is thought to mean it will hang or be high. It appears 1 time across 1 unique verse in the Bible, identifying it as a specific town.
The sole appearance of H3494 is in the book of Joshua, where it is mentioned in a list of cities. Its context is purely geographical, establishing its location as part of a group of towns. The verse reads, "And Shaalabbin, and Ajalon, and Jethlah" Joshua 19:42. This single reference fixes its identity within a specific cluster of locations.
Several related places are mentioned in the same verse, providing geographical context:
- H8169 Shaʻalbîym (fox-holes; Shaalbim or Shaalabbin, a place in Palestine): This city is listed directly beside Jethlah, linking their locations Joshua 19:42. The Amorites also dwelt in Shaalbim until the house of Joseph prevailed against them Judges 1:35.
- H357 ʼAyâlôwn (deer-field; Ajalon, the name of five places in Palestine): Also listed with Jethlah, Ajalon is a significant location mentioned multiple times Joshua 19:42. It was a fenced city, a site of conflict with the Philistines, and the location of the valley where Joshua commanded the moon to stand still (2 Chronicles 11:10, 1 Samuel 14:31, Joshua 10:12).
The significance of H3494 is entirely geographical, understood through its association with neighboring towns.
- A Defined Territory: Jethlah's only mention places it within a specific cluster of cities, including Shaalbim and Ajalon, as part of a larger territorial allotment described in the book of Joshua Joshua 19:42.
- Proximity to Contested Areas: Its connection to Ajalon and Shaalbim situates it in a historically active region. The Amorites maintained a presence in these neighboring towns, and Ajalon was later a site of conflict with the Philistines (Judges 1:35, 1 Samuel 14:31).
- Association with Ajalon: Being named with Ajalon connects Jethlah to a location of great importance, a place fortified by Judah and the site of a miracle during the conquest of Canaan (2 Chronicles 11:10, Joshua 10:12).
In summary, H3494 refers to Jethlah, a place name mentioned once in scripture. Its identity is fixed by its inclusion in a list of cities in Joshua 19:42. While the name itself carries the possible meaning of being "high" or "hanging," its biblical importance comes entirely from its geographical association with the more frequently mentioned towns of Shaalbim and Ajalon, situating it within a historically significant region of Palestine.
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