Lexical Summary Lebonah: Lebonah Original Word: לְבוֹנָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Lebonah The same as lbownah; Lebonah, a place in Palestine -- Lebonah. see HEBREW lbownah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom laben Definition a place near Shiloh NASB Translation Lebonah (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. לְבוֺנָה proper name, of a location, by which, among other places, location of Shiloh is fixed Judges 21:19, ᵐ5 Λεβωνα; modern Lubban, approximately 3 miles west-northwest from Shiloh (Seilûn), RobBR ii. 271 f. GuérinSam. ii, 164 f. BdPal. 217 BuhlGeogr. 175. Topical Lexicon Geographical Setting Lebonah is a small settlement situated on the central north–south ridge road that later writers would call “the Way of the Patriarchs.” In the biblical notice it lies on the southern side of Shiloh, with Bethel to the southwest and Shechem (modern Nablus) to the north (Judges 21:19). Modern identification points to Lubban ash-Sharqiya, about thirteen kilometers south-southwest of ancient Shiloh, on the border region shared by the tribe of Ephraim and the territory allotted to Benjamin. Its strategic placement along the main highway made it a familiar landmark for travelers moving between the northern and southern hill country. Biblical Context Lebonah appears only once in Scripture, yet that single mention is embedded in a critical moment in Israel’s early national life. Following the civil war against Benjamin, the men of Israel lament the loss of an entire tribe and devise a plan to provide wives for the surviving Benjamites: “But look,” they said, “there is a feast of the LORD each year in Shiloh … which is south of Lebonah.” (Judges 21:19) The writer supplies four geographic references—Bethel, Shechem, the highway itself, and Lebonah—to make sure every reader can locate the site. Lebonah’s name thus serves to fix the scene of Israel’s first recorded national festival after the trauma of internecine conflict. The episode underscores two themes: (1) the centrality of Shiloh, where the tabernacle and the Ark stood in the pre-temple era, and (2) the covenant community’s struggle to preserve tribal cohesion while still upholding the sanctity of vows previously made against intermarriage with Benjamin (Judges 21:1). Historical and Archaeological Insights Pottery sherds and architectural remains at Lubban ash-Sharqiya span Iron I to the Byzantine period, confirming continuous occupation in the time frame of the Judges. Though no monumental structures uniquely mark the site, its pottery assemblage matches that of nearby Shiloh, indicating shared material culture and trade. The ridge road itself—visible today in terrace walls and ancient paving—testifies to long-distance traffic between Hebron, Jerusalem, and the northern valleys; Lebonah functioned as a convenient staging point or rest stop along this corridor. Etymological Echoes and Symbolism Although Lebonah is a place-name, it shares its spelling with the Hebrew noun often rendered “frankincense.” The overlap suggests that the original founders either cultivated or traded in aromatic resins, or that the village embodied the pleasing fragrance associated with sacrificial worship (Exodus 30:34; Song of Solomon 3:6). In the narrative flow of Judges, the fragrance motif offers an ironic contrast: the Benjamites obtain wives during a joyful pilgrimage feast, yet the memory of recent bloodshed still hangs in the air. God’s grace, however, brings the “aroma” of reconciliation out of the ashes of civil war. Theological and Ministry Reflections 1. God anchors redemptive events in verifiable geography. The precise location of Lebonah reinforces the historical reliability of Scripture and calls modern readers to trust the details recorded by the inspired authors. Lessons for the Church Today • Reconciliation after division must be pursued deliberately and within the rhythms of worship. Lebonah, though mentioned only in passing, reminds every generation that the living God stitches grace into geography, commanding His people to meet Him on the highway between brokenness and restoration. Forms and Transliterations לִלְבוֹנָֽה׃ ללבונה׃ lil·ḇō·w·nāh lilḇōwnāh lilvoNahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Judges 21:19 HEB: שְׁכֶ֑מָה וּמִנֶּ֖גֶב לִלְבוֹנָֽה׃ NAS: and on the south side of Lebonah. KJV: and on the south of Lebonah. INT: to Shechem the south of Lebonah 1 Occurrence |
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