8634. Taralah

Lexical Summary

Taralah: Taralah

Original Word: תַּרְאֲלָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Tar'alah
Pronunciation: tah-rah-LAH
Phonetic Spelling: (tar-al-aw')
KJV: Taralah
NASB: Taralah
Word Origin: [probably for H8653 (תַּרעֵלָה - reeling)]

1. a reeling
2. Taralah, a place in Israel

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 Origin
of 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, ᵐ5^L 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.
2. Border Security: Situated near larger centers like Gibeon and Jerusalem, Taralah would have participated in a regional defense network, guarding approaches into Judah’s highlands.
3. Agricultural Life: The cluster of “cities with their villages” implies agrarian communities supporting larger fortified towns. Taralah likely functioned as a farming village supplying produce to urban centers.

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.
2. Corporate Inheritance: Taralah’s mention alongside iconic cities such as Jerusalem illustrates that Israel’s inheritance was corporate and interdependent, reflecting the unity of God’s people (1 Corinthians 12:14-26).
3. Divine Remembrance: The single biblical reference affirms that God remembers places and people history may forget (Psalm 87:6). This encourages believers that their labor is never hidden from Him (Hebrews 6:10).

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.
• Faithful Record-Keeping: The precise recording of Taralah challenges modern believers to handle church rolls, ministry resources, and historical records with similar integrity.
• Community Interdependence: As Taralah relied on surrounding towns, local ministries should partner regionally and globally, recognizing mutual dependence within the body of Christ.

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.
• Genesis 15:18-21 – Covenant promise of the land.
• Psalm 87:6 – “The LORD will record, when He registers the peoples, ‘This one was born there.’”
• Hebrews 6:10 – Assurance that “God is not unjust; He will not forget your work.”

Forms and Transliterations

וְתַרְאֲלָֽה׃ ותראלה׃ vetaraLah wə·ṯar·’ă·lāh wəṯar’ălāh

Englishman'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

Strong's Hebrew 8634
1 Occurrence

wə·ṯar·’ă·lāh — 1 Occ.