Word Study for H588 (אֲנָחֲרָת)

ʼĂnâchărâth /an-aw-kha-rawth'/ Ask about this word

Rootprobably from the same root as נַחַר

Meaninga gorge or narrow pass; Anacharath, a place in Palestine

KJV usageAnaharath.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʼĂnâchărâth — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word ʼĂnâchărâth, represented by H588, identifies a specific place in Palestine. Its base definition is a gorge or narrow pass. The term appears only 1 times across 1 unique verses in the Bible, indicating its role as a precise geographical marker rather than a recurring theme.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The single biblical reference to H588 occurs in the book of Joshua. In the context of the allotment of land, it is named as Anaharath. The verse lists it alongside two other locations, establishing its place within a defined territory Joshua 19:19. Its sole function in the narrative is to help delineate a boundary.

Related Words & Concepts

The following words are mentioned in the same verse, providing geographical context for Anaharath:

H2663 Chăphârayim (Haphraim): Defined as a double pit, this is another place in Palestine listed with Anaharath Joshua 19:19.
H7866 Shîyʼôwn (Shihon): Meaning ruin, this place is also named alongside Anaharath in the same territorial list Joshua 19:19.

Theological Significance

The significance of H588 is primarily geographical, not theological.

Geographical Marker: The name Anaharath is used to pinpoint a specific location, contributing to the detailed mapping of the land as described in the book of Joshua.
Topographical Description: The meaning of the word, "a gorge or narrow pass," suggests a distinct physical feature that would have been well-known at the time, making it a useful landmark.
Contextual Placement: Its appearance with Haphraim H2663 and Shihon H7866 helps anchor its location as part of a recognized group of towns or sites.

Summary

In summary, H588 is a specific place name, Anaharath, with a descriptive meaning. Its single appearance in scripture Joshua 19:19 serves a purely geographical purpose, helping to define territorial boundaries in ancient Palestine. It stands as an example of the Bible's detailed record-keeping concerning the land.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

אֲנָחֲרַת

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

1 verse, all in Joshua — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.