Lexical Summary Eshan: Eshan Original Word: אֶשְׁעָן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Eshean From sha'an; support; Eshan, a place in Palestine -- Eshean. see HEBREW sha'an NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom shaan Definition "support," a place in Judah NASB Translation Eshan (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs אֶשְׁעָ֑ן proper name, of a location in hills of Judah Joshua 15:52, Σομα, ᵐ5L Εσαν. Topical Lexicon Biblical setting אֶשְׁעָן (Esh’an, Eshean) appears a single time—“Arab, Dumah, Eshan” (Joshua 15:52)—in the list of hill-country towns granted to Judah. Its placement within Joshua 15 situates it among the boundary markers that documented the land God swore to Abraham and delivered through Joshua, underscoring covenant fulfillment (Joshua 21:43-45). Geographical context Identified with a ruin southwest of Hebron, Eshean occupied the limestone heights that descend toward the Negev. The location commanded local routes linking Hebron and the Beersheba basin, with terraced slopes fit for olives and grain. Springs in nearby wadis and tower foundations point to a modest but strategic agricultural outpost guarding Judah’s interior. Historical significance 1. Tribal consolidation Grouped with eleven other hill-country settlements (Joshua 15:48-52), Eshean contributed to Judah’s defensive spine, anchoring clan life and judicial gatherings during the Judges era before Jerusalem became the nation’s focal point. 2. Covenant witness Every named town served as a legal boundary stone. By recording even a small place like Eshean, Scripture provides a detailed title deed proving that “Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed” (Joshua 21:45). 3. Later occupation Archaeological surveys in the Hebron district reveal Iron-Age and intermittent Hellenistic occupation layers, suggesting that communities such as Eshean participated in the rural resilience that sustained Judah through monarchy, exile, and restoration. Theological themes • Divine attention to detail: The inclusion of Eshean testifies that nothing in God’s plan is insignificant, echoing “even the hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30). Ministry applications • Affirm small congregations: Eshean legitimizes modest, rural ministries as crucial to God’s mission. Related passages Genesis 15:18-21; Joshua 15:20-63; Joshua 21:43-45; Matthew 10:30; 1 Corinthians 12:12-26; 2 Timothy 4:2. Eshean’s lone mention thus becomes a testimony to covenant faithfulness, the value of every community in God’s redemptive work, and the call to diligent stewardship of whatever sphere the Lord entrusts. Forms and Transliterations וְאֶשְׁעָֽן׃ ואשען׃ veeshAn wə’eš‘ān wə·’eš·‘ānLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 15:52 HEB: אֲרַ֥ב וְרוּמָ֖ה וְאֶשְׁעָֽן׃ NAS: Arab and Dumah and Eshan, KJV: Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean, INT: Arab and Dumah and Eshan 1 Occurrence |
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