יְשָׁנָה
𐤉𐤔𐤍𐤄
Hayeshanah
H3466 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun: Yeshanah, a toponym referring to a specific locality mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. The name means 'old' or 'ancient,' reflecting either the historical age of the settlement or a characteristic attributed to it. The term functions as a place name rather than as a common descriptor.
Semantic Range
Yeshanah (place name), ancient or old (in the context of a location); does not function as a common adjective in usage
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root י-ש-נ (ישן), which means 'to be old, to become aged.' The feminine form יְשָׁנָה (Yᵉshânâh) most likely signifies 'the ancient one' or 'the old (place).'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Yeshanah appears in the Hebrew Bible as a city west of the Jordan, mentioned in the context of Rehoboam's fortifications (2 Chronicles 13:19). The form is a feminine proper noun, consistent with the naming of cities in Hebrew. The name likely denotes either the antiquity of the settlement or distinguishes it from a newer site. While the KJV and later translations often use the anglicized 'Jeshanah,' the Hebrew term more directly conveys a qualitative assessment of the community as 'old' or 'ancient.' Geographic identification with later towns (e.g., Khirbet el-Senah) is possible but remains uncertain. This place name is distinct from the common adjective ישָן (yashan, 'old'), and its function in the biblical text is strictly as a toponym, not as a descriptor of age for people or objects. Usage is limited to the context of fortified cities during the monarchic period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of יָשָׁן; Jeshanah, a place in Palestine; Jeshanah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ישן (y-š-n) — to be old, become aged, become stale
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3462 | יָשֵׁן | I sleep |
| H3463 | יָשֵׁן | like a sleeping one |
| H3464 | יָשֵׁן | sleeping one |
| H3465 | יָשָׁן | the aged one |
| H8142 | שֵׁנָה | from their sleep |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3466-02 |
יְשָׁנָ֖ה | yeshanah | HNp |
Jeshanah | Ancient-Place | 1 |
H3466-01 |
הַיְשָׁנָ֜ה | hayeshanah | HNp |
of the old | the Ancient-place | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3466-01 |
Nehemiah 12:39 | הַיְשָׁנָ֜ה | hayeshanah | HNp |
of the old | the Ancient-place |
H3466-02 |
2 Chronicles 13:19 | יְשָׁנָ֖ה | yeshanah | HNp |
Jeshanah | Ancient-Place |