Lexical Summary Moladah: Moladah Original Word: מוֹלָדָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Moladah From yalad; birth; Moladah, a place in Palestine -- Moladah. see HEBREW yalad NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom yalad Definition a city in Simeon NASB Translation Moladah (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs מוֺלָדָה, מֹלָדָה proper name, of a location town in Simeon ׳מוֺל Joshua 19:2 = 1 Chronicles 28; inhabited after exile Nehemiah 11:26; name occurs also Joshua 15:26 (where probably interpolated from Nehemiah 11:26 see Di); ᵐ5 Μωλαδα, etc.; identified by RobBR ii, 201 GuérinJudée iii, 184 ff. with Tel Tilµ, 4 hours east from Beersheba = Μαλαθα JosAnt. xviii. 6, 2; Μαλα(α)θων, Malatha LagOnom. 214. 266. 87. 119, see also Di Topical Lexicon Name and Setting Moladah is a town of the southern Judean wilderness (Negev), situated south of Beer Sheba and north-west of the Edomite border. Its locale is semi-arid, marked by broad grazing land, intermittent wadis, and the caravan routes that later connected Hebron, Beer Sheba, and Petra. Several scholars associate it with the mound known today as Tell el-Milḥ, though absolute identification remains unconfirmed. The settlement’s placement on Judah’s southern frontier made it both a defensive outpost and a pastoral hub. Biblical Occurrences 1. Joshua 15:26 lists Moladah among the inheritance of “the tribe of the children of Judah according to their clans” as the conquest roster of towns reaches the southern desert. Historical Development Conquest Era: Moladah first appears in the inventory of territories subdued under Joshua. The mention signals that Israel’s entry into Canaan extended beyond fertile highlands into sparsely populated desert margins, fulfilling the promise that every portion of land would fall within Israel’s possession (Deuteronomy 11:24). Tribal Reconfiguration: The double list in Joshua shows Simeon’s inheritance nested inside Judah’s territory. Moladah’s reassignment testifies to Judah’s large allotment and Simeon’s pastoral needs. The shared arrangement foreshadows the later “cities with pasturelands” principle enshrined for Levites (Joshua 21) and illustrates pragmatic tribal cooperation. Monarchic Period: The Chronicler’s catalog (1 Chronicles 4) situates Moladah within the genealogy of Simeon, preserving historical rights during the united kingdom and subsequent divided monarchies. Though Moladah never achieved the fame of Hebron or Beer Sheba, its naming in official registers confirms continuous habitation and administrative significance as a regional node. Post-Exilic Restoration: Nehemiah emphasizes the repopulation of Judah’s heartland and fringe. By occupying Moladah again, the returnees were not merely reclaiming soil; they were responding to covenant obligations to fill the land so that the worship of the LORD might flourish in every quarter. That Judeans, not Simeonites, now settle the town reflects the tribal amalgamations resulting from exile, yet Scripture keeps Moladah’s name alive, underscoring divine fidelity to prior promises. Theological and Ministry Significance Promise and Possession: Moladah embodies the breadth of God’s gift of land—stretching even to desert thresholds. Its presence in four distinct canonical settings highlights the unbroken thread of promise, possession, lapse, and restoration. Faithfulness in Small Places: While biblical narrative often gravitates toward royal capitals or prophetic centers, Moladah reminds believers that God’s redemptive work encompasses minor towns and their inhabitants. Ministry today must resist valuing only significant platforms; the Lord assigns purpose to every context, whether metropolitan or remote. Restoration Hope: Nehemiah’s inclusion of Moladah in the post-exilic roll calls believers to see God’s power to renew abandoned places. Congregations facing demographic decline or geographic hardship can look to Moladah as proof that God delights to reestablish worship where faith once flickered. Covenant Community: The town’s shift from Judah to Simeon and back to post-exilic Judah models inter-tribal cooperation and unity. Modern ministry gains from this example when considering shared facilities, mission partnerships, and ethnic diversity within the body of Christ (Ephesians 2:14-16). Archaeological Considerations Tell el-Milḥ, situated roughly fourteen kilometers south-east of Beer Sheba, bears occupational strata from the Early Bronze through Persian periods, mirroring Moladah’s life span. Pottery fragments, fortification lines, and cistern systems suggest a fortified agricultural-pastoral settlement. Though the site lacks an inscription naming Moladah, the cultural horizon aligns with the biblical timeframe. Continued excavation may yet yield epigraphic confirmation, but current evidence already harmonizes with Scripture’s witness to a populated and strategic Negev town. Lessons for Contemporary Discipleship 1. Steward unreached or neglected regions; deserts belong to God as surely as fertile valleys. Moladah, though largely silent in Scripture’s narrative arcs, speaks eloquently of God’s comprehensive sovereignty, His commitment to every covenant detail, and His pleasure in reviving the forgotten corners of His kingdom. Forms and Transliterations וּבְמוֹלָדָ֖ה וּמוֹלָדָ֖ה וּמוֹלָדָֽה׃ ובמולדה ומולדה ומולדה׃ ū·ḇə·mō·w·lā·ḏāh ū·mō·w·lā·ḏāh ūḇəmōwlāḏāh umolaDah ūmōwlāḏāh uvemolaDahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 15:26 HEB: אֲמָ֥ם וּשְׁמַ֖ע וּמוֹלָדָֽה׃ NAS: Amam and Shema and Moladah, KJV: Amam, and Shema, and Moladah, INT: Amam and Shema and Moladah Joshua 19:2 1 Chronicles 4:28 Nehemiah 11:26 4 Occurrences |
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