Lexical Summary Beth Nimrah: Beth Nimrah Original Word: בֵּית נִמְרָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Beth-Nimrah From bayith and the feminine of namer; house of (the) leopard; Beth-Nimrah, a place east of the Jordan -- Beth-Nimrah. Compare Nimrah. see HEBREW bayith see HEBREW namer see HEBREW Nimrah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom bayith and fem. of namer Definition "place of a leopard," a place E. of the Jordan NASB Translation Beth-nimrah (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs בֵּית נִמְרָה proper name, of a location east of Jordan, in Gad (place of leopard) Numbers 32:36 = Joshua 13:27; ᵐ5 Ναμραμ, Βαιθαναβρα, etc., see also LagOnom. Sacr. 232, 2nd ed. 246; — modern Tel Nimrîn SurveyEP i. 337 BdPal 179, compare also מֵי נִמְרִים Isaiah 15:6, & RobBR i. 551. Topical Lexicon Location and Geography Beth Nimrah lay in the Jordan Valley, on the eastern side of the Jordan River, just north-northwest of present-day Wadi en-Numeirah (Wadi Nimrin). Its fertile alluvial plain, irrigated by perennial springs, made the site ideal for agriculture and animal husbandry. The modern tell, usually identified as Tell Nimrin, preserves abundant Iron Age remains that confirm continuous settlement through the period of the Judges and the monarchy. Biblical Occurrences Numbers 32:36 records that the tribe of Gad “built up Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and built folds for their flocks”. After Israel’s conquest of Sihon and Og, Gad and Reuben requested pastureland east of the Jordan; Beth Nimrah became one of the towns they reinforced to safeguard their herds and families. Joshua 13:27 lists the same town among the Gadite holdings “in the valley: Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon—the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon”. Tribal Allocation Although the land east of the Jordan lay outside the geographic boundary first envisioned in Numbers 34, God, through Moses, conditionally granted Gad and Reuben these territories. Beth Nimrah thus became a tangible testimony that God honors His covenant people while holding them accountable to fight alongside their brothers (Numbers 32:20–23). Its inclusion in Joshua’s allotment affirms that the decision made in Moses’ day stood firm under Joshua’s divinely guided leadership. Role in the Transjordanian Frontier 1. Military Outpost: By “building up” Beth Nimrah, Gad created a buffer against Moabite and Ammonite incursions. The fortified city guarded strategic fords across the Jordan, controlling access to central Canaan. Prophetic and Symbolic Resonance Some scholars connect Beth Nimrah with Isaiah’s oracle against Moab (Isaiah 15:6), where “the waters of Nimrim” become desolate. If the identification is sound, the prophecy underscores divine judgment on arrogant neighbors while reminding Israel that even fertile springs can dry up apart from covenant faithfulness. Ministry Reflections • Faith and Obedience: Gad fortified Beth Nimrah only after pledging to cross the Jordan and fight (Numbers 32:17-18). The pattern teaches believers to submit personal ambitions to corporate mission. Later History and Legacy Post-exilic references fade, but by the Hellenistic period the region reemerges as Bethnambris (Josephus, Antiquities 13.15.4). Roman roads continued to exploit the valley’s corridor, and Byzantine churches attest to enduring Christian presence. Today Tell Nimrin’s ruins invite reflection on the steadfastness of God’s promises despite shifting political powers. Key References Numbers 32:1–42; Joshua 13:15–33; Isaiah 15:6 (possible); Josephus, Antiquities 13.15.4; Eusebius, Onomasticon 42.5. Forms and Transliterations נִמְרָ֖ה נִמְרָ֜ה נמרה nim·rāh nimRah nimrāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 32:36 HEB: וְאֶת־ בֵּ֥ית נִמְרָ֖ה וְאֶת־ בֵּ֣ית NAS: and Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran KJV: And Bethnimrah, and Bethharan, fenced INT: and Beth-nimrah and Bethharan cities Joshua 13:27 2 Occurrences |
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