Lexical Summary Lod: Lod Original Word: לֹד Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Lod From an unused root of uncertain signification; Lod, a place in Palestine -- Lod. Brown-Driver-Briggs לֹד proper name, of a location = Λυδδα1Macc 11:34; Acts 9:32,35,38, Lydda, modern Ludd, approximately 11 miles southeast from Jaffa, toward Jerusalem; RobBR ii. 244-248 GASmGeogr. 160ff. BuhlGeogr. 197 1 Chronicles 8:12 וּבְנֹתֶיהָׅ ׳(ל, Ezra 2:33 (בְּנֵי לֹד) = Nehemiah 7:37, compare Nehemiah 11:35; ᵐ5 Λωδ, Λοδ, Λυδδων, Λυδδα. Topical Lexicon Geographical Setting Lod lies in the fertile coastal plain of central Israel, roughly twenty-five miles northwest of Jerusalem and ten miles southeast of Joppa. Situated at the junction of ancient east–west and north–south trade routes, the town controlled access between the Hill Country and the Mediterranean, making it strategically valuable throughout biblical history. Old Testament Record The first mention occurs in the genealogies of Benjamin: “Shemed … built Ono and Lod with its villages” (1 Chronicles 8:12). Though settled by a Benjamite clan, Lod stood near the border with Dan, illustrating the complex tribal mosaic of the region. After the Babylonian exile, Lod re-emerges in the lists of returnees: These verses highlight Lod as a place rebuilt by faith-filled families determined to restore covenant life in the land despite imperial oversight and regional hostility (cf. Nehemiah 6:2). Post-Exilic Significance 1. Economic Hub: Proximity to coastal commerce allowed exiles to support the Jerusalem temple with goods and tithes. Prophetic and Messianic Echoes While Lod is not directly named in specific prophecies, its location in the Plain of Sharon links it to restoration imagery: “The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:5) in a region later called “Sharon.” Thus Lod quietly participates in the unfolding promise that the desolate land would once again blossom and bear witness to God’s glory. New Testament Continuity (Lydda) By the Roman period Lod was known as Lydda. Peter’s visit there connects the town to the spread of the gospel: “As Peter traveled throughout the area, he went down also to the saints in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas … Peter said to him, ‘Jesus Christ heals you!’” (Acts 9:32-34). The healing catalyzed widespread conversion: “All who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord” (Acts 9:35). Thus the Old Testament city that witnessed covenant restoration becomes a New Testament springboard for the proclamation of Christ’s saving power. Patristic and Early Church Tradition Early Christian writings mention a substantial Jewish-Christian community in Lydda. By the third century it served as a bishopric, evidence of the town’s enduring spiritual vitality. Church tradition later associated Lydda with Saint George, whose martyrdom was said to inspire believers under persecution. Ministry Principles and Application • Faithful Reconstruction: The returned exiles of Lod model perseverance in rebuilding worship and community amid opposition, encouraging modern believers tasked with church planting or revitalization. Summary From a Benjamite settlement rebuilt after exile to a center of apostolic miracle and mission, Lod testifies to God’s ongoing work of restoration, witness, and grace across the covenants. Forms and Transliterations לֹ֖ד לֹ֥ד לֹד֙ לד lod lōḏLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 8:12 HEB: אוֹנ֔וֹ וְאֶת־ לֹ֖ד וּבְנֹתֶֽיהָ׃ NAS: built Ono and Lod, with its towns; KJV: Ono, and Lod, with the towns INT: built Ono and Lod towns Ezra 2:33 Nehemiah 7:37 Nehemiah 11:35 |
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