גְּדֵרָה
𐤂𐤃𐤓𐤄
Gederah
H1449 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Gederah – a toponym representing a settlement or locality, likely named for or associated with an enclosure, wall, or boundary structure such as a stone fence or hedge. The term preserves the sense of a place marked by or defined by a man-made enclosure. In specific contexts, it refers to a particular populated place in the Shephelah region, held by the tribe of Judah.
Semantic Range
a place named for an enclosure or wall, specifically a town in the Shephelah region; sometimes (rarely) a general term for a hedged or enclosed place
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root גדר (g-d-r), meaning 'to wall in, enclose, make a fence or hedge.' The form גְּדֵרָה is a feminine noun, formed with the ah-suffix, and is used here as a place name reflecting a feature of the landscape or its function as an enclosed settlement.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, גְּדֵרָה (Gederah) refers specifically to a town in the Shephelah assigned to the Judahites (see Joshua 15:36; 1 Chronicles 4:23). The name is related to the more general noun גָּדֵר (gader), meaning 'enclosure, wall, or fence,' highlighting the ancient practice of naming towns after key landscape features or structures. English translations sometimes simply transliterate the place name, while historical translations (such as the KJV) may render it with the generic meaning of 'fence' or 'hedge,' which risks conflating the toponym with the common noun. The actual site associated with Gederah is debated, but it is understood as a distinct settlement, not merely a rural enclosure. There are further localities with similar names (e.g., Gederoth, Gederothaim) with comparable etymological roots, reflecting the prevalence of such features in town-naming during Israelite settlement. The primary significance in context is geographic and administrative. The term did not denote an ethnic or religious group but a place within Judahite territory. Later translation traditions occasionally applied the place name symbolically, but this is not its primary biblical usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as גְּדֵרָה; (with the article) Gederah, a place in Palestine; Gederah, hedges.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גדר (g-d-r) — to enclose, wall in, fence, build a boundary
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1013 | בֵּית־גָּדֵר | enclosing wall |
| H1443 | גָּדַר | he fenced in |
| H1444 | גֶּדֶר | enclosure-wall |
| H1445 | גֶּדֶר | Geder |
| H1446 | גְדֹר | Fortified Enclosure |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1449-01 |
וְ/הַ/גְּדֵרָ֖ה | vehagederah | HC/Td/Np |
and the Gederah | and the Enclosure-town | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1449-01 |
Joshua 15:36 | וְ/הַ/גְּדֵרָ֖ה | vehagederah | HC/Td/Np |
and the Gederah | and the Enclosure-town |