Lexical Summary Eth Qatsin: Leader, Ruler, Commander, Officer Original Word: עֵת קָצִין Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Ittah-kazinFrom eth and qayam; time of a judge; Eth-Katsin, a place in Palestine -- Ittah-kazin (by including directive enclitic). see HEBREW eth see HEBREW qayam NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom eth and qatsin Definition "time of a ruler," a place on the border of Zebulun NASB Translation Eth-kazin (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs קָצִין [עֵה] proper name, of a location on border of Zebulun, only with ה locative, ׳עִתָּה ק Joshua 19:13 site unknown. Topical Lexicon Geographic Setting Eth-kazin forms part of the eastern border of the tribe of Zebulun in Lower Galilee. Joshua 19:13 situates it between Gath-hepher and Rimmon, bending southward toward Neah. This places the site on undulating limestone hills that overlook the Jezreel Valley to the south and the Beth-Netophah basin to the north. Though the exact ruin has not been firmly identified, most researchers set it a few kilometres southeast of modern Mashhad (ancient Gath-hepher), on a route that linked Galilee’s interior villages with the Via Maris. Biblical Context (Joshua 19:10-16) The lone mention—“From there it passes on the east to Gath-hepher, to Eth-kazin; it goes to Rimmon and turns toward Neah” (Joshua 19:13)—comes inside the allotment catalogue for Zebulun. These border lists are not literary filler; they seal the covenant faithfulness of God who swore land to the patriarchs (Genesis 12:7) and now fulfills that promise under Joshua. Each boundary stone implicitly calls Israel to covenant obedience (Joshua 23:6-13). Historical Significance 1. Administrative marker: As part of Zebulun’s border, Eth-kazin helped define tribal jurisdiction, taxation, and Levitical service areas (Joshua 21:7, 34). Etymological Insight and Theological Echoes The compound name conveys the idea of “a time (or place) of a leader/prince.” Even if no ruler resided there, the title nods to divine order: God appoints times and seasons (Daniel 2:21) and raises up authorities (Romans 13:1). Eth-kazin’s very name, set into Israel’s geography, reminds readers that every province and period lies under the sovereignty of the “Prince of Peace” foretold in Isaiah 9:6. Archaeological and Scholarly Perspectives Surveys have proposed Khirbet Abu Kish on topographic maps of the Survey of Western Palestine. Pottery scatters from Iron Age II align chronologically with Joshua’s settlement period, yet no inscription has clinched the identification. The absence of monumental remains fits the Bible’s silence about civic exploits, suggesting Eth-kazin functioned more as a border hamlet than a fortified royal seat. Ministry Applications 1. Faithfulness in obscurity: Eth-kazin’s single verse parallels many believers who serve quietly yet mark the boundaries of God’s kingdom. The Lord records even the least-known acts of obedience (Hebrews 6:10). Typological Glimpses Eth-kazin lies in the same tribal territory later honored by the Messiah’s early ministry: “He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum… in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali” (Matthew 4:13). Thus even this obscure border town contributes to the prophetic geography that validates Jesus as the promised Light to Galilee (Isaiah 9:1-2; Matthew 4:14-16). Lessons for Today Eth-kazin teaches that every name, line, and location in Scripture serves God’s redemptive storyline. Whether a believer’s assignment seems large like Jerusalem or hidden like Eth-kazin, God weaves each into His covenant tapestry, proving yet again that “the word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Peter 1:25). Forms and Transliterations קָצִ֑ין קצין kaTzin qā·ṣîn qāṣînLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 19:13 HEB: חֵ֖פֶר עִתָּ֣ה קָצִ֑ין וְיָצָ֛א רִמּ֥וֹן NAS: to Gath-hepher, to Eth-kazin, and it proceeded KJV: to Gittahhepher, to Ittahkazin, and goeth out INT: the sunrise to Gath-hepher to Eth-kazin proceeded to Rimmon |
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