1450. Gederoth
Lexical Summary
Gederoth: Gederoth

Original Word: גְּדֵרוֹת
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Gderowth
Pronunciation: geh-deh-ROTH
Phonetic Spelling: (ghed-ay-rohth')
KJV: Gederoth
NASB: Gederoth
Word Origin: [plural of H1448 (גְּדֵרָה - walls)]

1. walls
2. Gederoth, a place in Israel

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Gederoth

Plural of gderah; walls; Gederoth, a place in Palestine -- Gederoth.

see HEBREW gderah

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from gadar
Definition
"walls," a place in Judah
NASB Translation
Gederoth (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
גְּדֵרוֺת proper name, of a location in Judah Joshua 15:41; ׳הַגְּ2Chronicles 28:18.

Topical Lexicon
Location and Geographic Setting

Gederoth lay in the Shephelah—the fertile lowland between the Judean hill country and the Mediterranean coastal plain. Its inclusion among the “fourteen cities with their villages” assigned to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:41) places it in the southern cluster bordering Philistine territory. The name suggests “stone fences” or “enclosures,” fitting a pastoral region where livestock were protected by walled folds and vineyards by terraced walls.

Biblical Occurrences

Joshua 15:41 lists Gederoth with Azekah, Mareshah, and other fortified sites marking Judah’s western frontier. Centuries later, during the reign of King Ahaz, Philistines swept through this same border zone: “The Philistines…captured Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco with its villages… and they settled there” (2 Chronicles 28:18). These two references frame Gederoth’s story—from initial allotment to foreign occupation—highlighting the covenant people’s responsibility to secure their inheritance.

Historical Context

1. Conquest and Settlement: Following the Lord’s command, Judah received territory stretching to the sea. Towns like Gederoth served as agricultural hubs and military outposts, safeguarding trade routes toward the Philistine pentapolis.
2. Period of the Kings: The Philistine incursion under Ahaz (circa 734–732 BC) illustrates the spiritual and political decline of Judah. Ahaz’s apostasy (2 Kings 16:3–4) opened the door for enemy occupation, and Gederoth fell with neighboring towns. The chronicler records this to connect covenant unfaithfulness with loss of land.

Theological Significance

• Covenant Boundaries: Gederoth represents the tangible fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham (Genesis 15:18–21) and a warning that unbelief can jeopardize covenant blessings (Deuteronomy 28:25).
• Faith and Fortification: Walls and sheepfolds evoke the Lord as both Shepherd and Fortress (Psalm 18:2; Psalm 23:1–2). When Judah trusted Him, their “enclosures” stood firm; when they rebelled, even stone fences proved useless.
• Restoration Hope: Though Chron­icles records defeat, the prophetic vision looks beyond it. Zechariah 9:8 pictures the Lord encamping around His house, reversing Philistine encroachment and promising security superior to masonry.

Lessons for Ministry and Discipleship

1. Guard the Borders: Just as Gederoth lay on a strategic frontier, believers are called to watch over the boundaries of doctrine and conduct (2 Timothy 1:14). Neglect invites spiritual Philistines.
2. Corporate Responsibility: Gederoth’s fall affected the whole region. Local faithfulness has regional impact; conversely, local compromise spreads vulnerability throughout the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 5:6).
3. Dependence on Divine Protection: Physical defenses are secondary to covenant fidelity. Ministries must prioritize obedience and worship over mere structural expansion (Psalm 127:1).

Archaeological and Extra-Biblical Insights

Tell el-Juded (Khirbet Jedireh) and Tel Qatra have been proposed as possible sites, each showing Iron Age fortifications and agricultural installations consistent with an enclosure-oriented settlement. Pottery horizons and Philistine bichrome ware lend credence to occupation during both the monarchic period and the years of Philistine advance described in Chronicles.

Prophetic and Typological Considerations

Gederoth’s breached walls foreshadow the condition of post-exilic Jerusalem, whose broken defenses stirred Nehemiah’s rebuilding mission (Nehemiah 2:17). The contrast underscores God’s purpose to restore and secure His people, culminating in the Messiah who Himself is the gate and the wall of salvation (John 10:9; Revelation 21:12–14).

Summary

Gederoth, obscure yet instructive, stands as a witness to covenant gift, human frailty, and divine faithfulness. Its rise and fall urge the people of God in every generation to fortify their heritage by steadfast trust in the Lord, the true Builder and Keeper of all enclosures.

Forms and Transliterations
הַגְּדֵר֗וֹת הגדרות וּגְדֵר֕וֹת וגדרות hag·gə·ḏê·rō·wṯ haggedeRot haggəḏêrōwṯ ū·ḡə·ḏê·rō·wṯ ugedeRot ūḡəḏêrōwṯ
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Joshua 15:41
HEB: וּגְדֵר֕וֹת בֵּית־ דָּג֥וֹן
NAS: and Gederoth, Beth-dagon and Naamah
KJV: And Gederoth, Bethdagon, and Naamah,
INT: and Gederoth Beth-dagon and Naamah

2 Chronicles 28:18
HEB: אַיָּל֜וֹן וְאֶת־ הַגְּדֵר֗וֹת וְאֶת־ שׂוֹכ֤וֹ
NAS: Aijalon, Gederoth, and Soco
KJV: and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho
INT: Beth-shemesh Aijalon Gederoth and Soco villages

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 1450
2 Occurrences


hag·gə·ḏê·rō·wṯ — 1 Occ.
ū·ḡə·ḏê·rō·wṯ — 1 Occ.

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