The Hebrew word Tôken, represented by H8507, is a proper name for Tochen, a place in Palestine. It appears 1 times across 1 unique verses in the Bible. Its entire scriptural identity is tied to its single mention within a geographical list.
In the biblical narrative, H8507 is used exclusively in the context of listing settlements. Its sole appearance is in a record of genealogies and their dwelling places, where the text states, "And their villages were, Etam, and Ain, Rimmon, and Tochen, and Ashan, five cities" 1 Chronicles 4:32. This verse establishes Tochen as one of a specific cluster of five cities that functioned as villages for a particular group.
Several related words from its only context help define Tochen's setting:
- H2691 châtsêr (court, tower, village): This word describes Tochen and its counterparts as "villages," indicating they were hamlets or enclosed settlements 1 Chronicles 4:32. Elsewhere, the term is used for the courts of the Lord's house Psalms 100:4.
- H5892 ʻîyr (city, court (from margin), town): This term further classifies the group of five settlements as "cities" 1 Chronicles 4:32. It is a broad term for a guarded place, from a major city to an encampment.
- H2568 châmêsh (five): This numeral quantifies the group of cities to which Tochen belonged 1 Chronicles 4:32.
- H5862 ʻÊyṭâm (Etam, a place in Palestine; Etam): Etam is one of the four other cities listed directly with Tochen 1 Chronicles 4:32.
- H5871 ʻAyin (Ain, the name (thus simply) of two places in Palestine; Ain): This place is also listed in the same verse as Tochen 1 Chronicles 4:32.
- H7417 Rimmôwn (Rimmon, the name of a Syrian deity, also of five places in Palestine; Remmon, Rimmon): Rimmon is named alongside Tochen in the list of five cities 1 Chronicles 4:32.
- H6228 ʻÂshân (Ashan, a place in Palestine; Ashan): The final city mentioned with Tochen in its group of five 1 Chronicles 4:32.
The geographical significance of H8507 is understood only through its associations.
- A Component of a City-Group: Tochen is never mentioned independently. Its identity is inseparable from the other four cities—Etam, Ain, Rimmon, and Ashan—with which it forms a group of five 1 Chronicles 4:32.
- Designated as a Village: The description of these five cities as "villages" H2691 provides insight into their probable size and function as settlements within a tribal territory.
- Fixed Geographical List: The appearance of Tochen in a fixed list suggests it was a known, established location at the time the chronicle was written, even if its specific history is not detailed elsewhere.
In summary, H8507 Tôken is the name of a town in Palestine whose biblical identity is confined to a single verse. It is not associated with any specific events or individuals but is significant as part of a defined geographical cluster of five cities. Its meaning is derived entirely from its context within the list found in 1 Chronicles 4:32, which identifies it as a village alongside Etam, Ain, Rimmon, and Ashan.
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