5044. Nibshan
Lexical Summary
Nibshan: Nibshan

Original Word: נִבְשָׁן
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Nibshan
Pronunciation: nib-SHAHN
Phonetic Spelling: (nib-shawn')
KJV: Nibshan
NASB: Nibshan
Word Origin: [of uncertain derivation]

1. Nibshan, a place in Israel

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Nibshan

Of uncertain derivation; Nibshan, a place in Palestine -- Nibshan.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from the same as Bashan
Definition
a place in S. Judah
NASB Translation
Nibshan (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
נִבְשָׁן proper name, of a location in southern Judah ׳הַנּ Joshua 15:62.

בָּשְׁנָה see below בושׁ.

Topical Lexicon
Geographic Setting

Nibshan is listed among the “cities in the wilderness” apportioned to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:61-62). These settlements stretched along the western shores of the Dead Sea, south of En Gedi, amid arid cliffs and wadis that drain the eastern slopes of the Judean hill country. The broader region—often called the Jeshimon (“desert” or “waste”)—is characterized by precipitous canyons, sparse vegetation, and extreme heat, yet it served as a strategic buffer between the heartland of Judah and the lowlands adjoining the Salt Sea.

Biblical Occurrence

Joshua 15:62: “Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En Gedi—six cities with their villages.”

Nibshan appears only here, grouped with Ir-hamelah (“City of Salt”) and En Gedi in a catalog of six desert towns. Though the text gives no additional narrative about Nibshan, its inclusion confirms Judah’s possession not only of fertile hill country but of barren wilderness as well, fulfilling God’s promise of a wide-ranging inheritance (Joshua 15:1).

Historical Background

1. Post-conquest allocation: The listing reflects the administrative work of Joshua and Eleazar in divvying up Canaan following the conquest (Joshua 14:1). Possession of remote desert strongholds safeguarded Judah’s southeastern flank and controlled routes toward Edom.
2. Wilderness refuge: Centuries later David moved through this very terrain while evading Saul (1 Samuel 23:29). Although Nibshan itself is not named in that narrative, its proximity to En Gedi and other strongholds situates it within the same wilderness network that provided refuge for God’s anointed.
3. Second Temple associations: During the Hasmonean and Herodian periods, nearby En Gedi thrived on balsam production. Nibshan’s exact location remains unverified, but its neighboring settlements show the region’s economic viability even in difficult terrain.

Archaeological and Geographical Notes

Scholars have proposed several tells and ruin sites—often near the modern “Berekhat Mishmar” area or south of Ein Gedi—for Nibshan, yet no consensus exists. Pottery scatters and fortification remnants from the Iron Age attest to small fortified hamlets, perfectly matching the six “cities with their villages” terminology. The toponym itself may recall a feature of the landscape, possibly linked to “baking” or “scorched” ground, signaling either volcanic rock or intense sun-bleached soil common along the Dead Sea ridge.

Theological Themes

1. God’s comprehensive inheritance: By allotting even inhospitable desert towns, the Lord demonstrated that no portion of the promised land was outside His covenant care (Deuteronomy 11:24).
2. Divine provision in desolation: Wilderness regions such as Nibshan underscore the motif of God sustaining His people in barren places (Deuteronomy 8:15-16; Hosea 13:5).
3. Strategic obscurity: Scripture’s mention of minor sites reinforces that every locale—renowned or obscure—fits within the unfolding redemptive narrative (Micah 5:2; John 1:46).

Practical and Ministry Applications

• Faithfulness in the hidden places: Many believers labor in “desert” contexts—small churches, remote mission fields, or unnoticed service. Nibshan reminds the church that God records and values such ministries (Hebrews 6:10).
• Stewardship of every inheritance: Judah’s acceptance of both fertile and arid regions teaches contentment with the full scope of God’s assignment (Philippians 4:11-13).
• Spiritual fortification: Like the wilderness strongholds of David, modern Christians cultivate inner resilience by retreating to solitary places for prayer and renewal (Mark 1:35).

Related Biblical Motifs

• Lists of uncelebrated towns (Nehemiah 11:25-36)
• Wilderness sanctification (Exodus 3:1; Matthew 4:1-11)
• Salt-land imagery contrasting fruitfulness and barrenness (Jeremiah 17:5-8; James 3:11-12)

Although Nibshan’s precise location and later history remain uncertain, its lone biblical appearance testifies to God’s meticulous faithfulness, recording even the smallest portions of His people’s inheritance and weaving them into the tapestry of redemption.

Forms and Transliterations
וְהַנִּבְשָׁ֥ן והנבשן vehannivShan wə·han·niḇ·šān wəhanniḇšān
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Joshua 15:62
HEB: וְהַנִּבְשָׁ֥ן וְעִיר־ הַמֶּ֖לַח
NAS: and Nibshan and the City of Salt
KJV: And Nibshan, and the city of Salt,
INT: and Nibshan and the City and Engedi

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 5044
1 Occurrence


wə·han·niḇ·šān — 1 Occ.

5043
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