Lexical Summary Taralah: Taralah Original Word: תַּרְאֲלָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Taralah Probably for tar'elah; a reeling; Taralah, a place in Palestine -- Taralah. see HEBREW tar'elah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a city in Benjamin NASB Translation Taralah (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs תַּרְאֲלָה proper name, of a location in Benjamin Joshua 18:27; Θαρεηλα, ᵐ5L Θεραλα. תַּרְבּוּת, תַּרְבִּית see I. רבה]. תִּרְגַּל see רָגַל Tiph`el Topical Lexicon Biblical Context Taralah is listed among the “fourteen cities with their villages” allotted to the tribe of Benjamin after the conquest of Canaan. Joshua 18 records: “Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, Zela, Eleph, Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath—fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin” (Joshua 18:27-28). Though mentioned only once, its inclusion underscores the meticulous division of the land in fulfillment of the LORD’s promise to Abraham and His covenant faithfulness to Israel. Geographical Setting The exact site of Taralah has not been conclusively identified. Its placement in the Benjaminite list suggests a location in the central hill country, west or northwest of the Jordan Valley and somewhere between Rekem and Zela. Proposals include ruins northwest of modern Jerusalem or sites south of Gibeon, but archaeological data remain inconclusive. The uncertainty serves as a reminder that many small settlements of ancient Israel await definitive identification. Historical Insights 1. Tribal Identity: Cities such as Taralah provided territorial anchors for Benjamin’s clans, fostering tribal cohesion and identity in the early monarchic period. Theological Themes 1. Covenant Detail: The listing of even the smallest settlements demonstrates God’s precise fulfillment of His land promise (Genesis 15:18-21). Every clan received its portion; no detail was overlooked. Lessons for Ministry • Value of the Small: Taralah teaches that seemingly insignificant ministries matter in God’s economy. Churches and leaders serving in obscure contexts share in the same inheritance as more prominent congregations. Archaeological Notes While Taralah’s site remains uncertain, ongoing surveys in the Benjaminite plateau may yet locate it. Pottery scatters and architectural remains from the Late Bronze and Iron Ages around Khirbet et-Tuleil and Khirbet el-Burj have been suggested, but no consensus exists. Discovering Taralah could shed light on Benjamin’s rural settlement pattern and the socioeconomic links between villages and central towns like Gibeon. Related Scriptures • Joshua 18:11-28 – Allocation of Benjamin’s territory. Forms and Transliterations וְתַרְאֲלָֽה׃ ותראלה׃ vetaraLah wə·ṯar·’ă·lāh wəṯar’ălāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 18:27 HEB: וְרֶ֥קֶם וְיִרְפְּאֵ֖ל וְתַרְאֲלָֽה׃ NAS: and Rekem and Irpeel and Taralah, KJV: And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah, INT: and Rekem and Irpeel and Taralah 1 Occurrence |