Lexical Summary tel: Mound, heap, ruin Original Word: תֵּל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance heap, strength By contraction from talal; a mound -- heap, X strength. see HEBREW talal NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition a mound NASB Translation heap (2), mounds (1), ruin (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs תֵּל noun [masculine] mound; — 1 mound, ruin-heep (of city): construct תֵּל(ֿ)עוֺלָם Joshua 8:28 (JE), Deuteronomy 13:17, תֵּל שְׁמָמָה Jeremiah 49:2. 2 mound or hill on which city stood: suffix תִּלָּם Joshua 11:18 (D), תִּלָּתּ Jeremiah 30:18. Topical Lexicon Definition and Conceptual Background The Hebrew noun תֵּל (tēl) denotes a mound or heap—most often the remains of a devastated city whose rubble has accumulated over time. In the Ancient Near East, repeated cycles of building, conquest, destruction, and rebuilding produced artificial hills that preserved occupational layers. Biblically, the word points to God’s judgment when populated centers become deserted heaps, and to His restoration when those same ruins are rebuilt. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Deuteronomy 13:16 speaks of an apostate Israelite city that must be “a permanent heap of ruins”, underscoring the severity of covenantal judgment when idolatry permeates the community. Historical and Archaeological Context Tell sites—such as Tel Megiddo, Tel Hazor, and Tel Dan—stand today as multi-layered archives of human activity. Excavations reveal strata verifying cultural practices, trade, fortifications, and destruction layers that often correspond with biblical events. When the text speaks of a city becoming a tēl, it mirrors a recognizable landscape feature still visible in modern Israel and Jordan. The physical tel thus provides tangible evidence that Scripture moves within real geography and history. Theological and Prophetic Significance Judgment and restoration are the twin themes attached to tēl. The heap of ruins symbolizes: This tension anticipates the gospel: sin brings devastation, yet God in Christ rebuilds lives, making “living stones” into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5). Ministry Application 1. Preaching: The imagery of a tel offers vivid sermon material on repentance, warning congregations that sin leaves life in rubble, but the Lord restores the penitent. Related Concepts • Herem (the ban) – explains why certain cities became permanent mounds (Joshua 6; 8). In Scripture, תֵּל is more than a geographical term; it is a theological signpost. Whether warning of judgment or promising renewal, the mound of ruins reminds every generation that the Lord both tears down and builds up according to His righteous purposes. Forms and Transliterations לְתֵ֣ל לתל תִּלָּ֔הּ תִּלָּ֔ם תֵּ֣ל תֵּל־ תל תל־ תלה תלם lə·ṯêl leTel ləṯêl tel têl têl- til·lāh til·lām tilLah tillāh tilLam tillāmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 13:16 HEB: אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְהָיְתָה֙ תֵּ֣ל עוֹלָ֔ם לֹ֥א NAS: your God; and it shall be a ruin forever. KJV: thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; INT: your God shall be a ruin forever shall never Joshua 8:28 Joshua 11:13 Jeremiah 30:18 Jeremiah 49:2 5 Occurrences |
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