Lexical Summary Gederothayim: Gederothaim Original Word: גְּדֵרֹתַיִם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Gederothaim Dual of gderah; double wall; Gederothajim, a place in Palestine -- Gederothaim. see HEBREW gderah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origindual of gederah Definition "double wall," a place in Judah NASB Translation Gederothaim (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs גְּדֵרֹתָ֫יִם proper name, of a location in Judah Joshua 15:36; perhaps strike out, so ᵐ5; whole number too large, compare Di. Topical Lexicon Gederothaim (Strong’s H1453) Scriptural setting Gederothaim is listed once in the Old Testament, within the territorial roster of Judah’s inheritance: “Sharaim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim—fourteen towns, along with their villages” (Joshua 15:36). The context places it among the Shephelah (“lowland”) towns, a strategic strip between the Judean hill country and the Philistine plain. Geographical considerations 1. Location: The sequence of names in Joshua 15 suggests a position west or south-west of Jerusalem, roughly midway between the coastal plain and the hill country. While identifications vary, most scholars situate it near the modern sites of Qatra or Gedera, areas characterized by fertile valleys and rolling hills ideal for agriculture and animal husbandry. Historical background 1. Judahite administration: The inclusion of Gederothaim in Judah’s town list indicates its integration into the tribal administrative network established after the conquest. Judah’s southern towns functioned as defensive buffers against Philistine incursions; thus Gederothaim likely participated in a chain of fortified posts. Archaeological hints Excavations at sites such as Tel Qatra reveal Late Bronze and Iron Age occupation layers with evidence of fortification, grain storage, and pottery consistent with Judahite material culture. While no inscription naming Gederothaim has surfaced, these finds corroborate biblical claims of organized settlement in the lowland towns listed in Joshua. Ministry significance 1. Faithfulness in the ordinary: Gederothaim’s solitary mention reminds believers that God records even the smallest communities within His covenant purposes. Rural or seemingly obscure ministries share in the broader redemptive plan, encouraging faithfulness irrespective of prominence. Key lessons • God values every place and person included in His covenant community. Related references Joshua 15:20-47; 1 Samuel 17:1 (the wider Shephelah theater); 2 Chronicles 28:18 (Gedera); 1 Peter 2:5; 2 Corinthians 1:20 Forms and Transliterations וּגְדֵרֹתָ֑יִם וגדרתים ū·ḡə·ḏê·rō·ṯā·yim ugederoTayim ūḡəḏêrōṯāyimLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 15:36 HEB: וַעֲדִיתַ֔יִם וְהַגְּדֵרָ֖ה וּגְדֵרֹתָ֑יִם עָרִ֥ים אַרְבַּֽע־ NAS: and Gederah and Gederothaim; fourteen KJV: and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen INT: and Adithaim and Gederah and Gederothaim cities four 1 Occurrence |
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