יִתְנָן
𐤉𐤕𐤍𐤍
Yitenan
H3497 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Yithnân is a toponym, designating a specific place in the territory allotted to the tribe of Judah in the Hebrew Bible's territorial lists. The term functions as a proper noun and does not appear to carry further lexical meaning beyond its role as a place name. Its precise location is uncertain, and the etymology is unclear.
Semantic Range
proper name of a location; town in southern Judah; toponym in tribal lists
Root / Etymology
Root connection is uncertain. Some have compared יִתְנָן (Yithnân) to the root of תַּנִּין (tannin, 'sea monster, serpent, dragon'), but the linguistic connection is tenuous and generally not accepted in modern lexicography; the name's formation fits the pattern of place-names in the southern regions of ancient Israel, but its exact derivation from common Hebrew roots is unclear. Etymology uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Yithnân is listed among towns in the lowland (Shephelah) region of Judah in Joshua 15:23. The site has not been conclusively identified archaeologically or geographically, and it is known only from the biblical text. As with many toponyms in the Judahite tribal lists, its inclusion provides historical data for understanding settlement patterns in the first millennium BCE. English translations sometimes render the name in variant forms (Ithnan, Jithnan), but these reflect differences in transcription rather than meaning. No evidence supports a non-toponymic meaning for יִתְנָן. The association of Yithnân with תַּנִּין in older lexical works is primarily due to superficial similarities and is unsupported by modern etymological analysis.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
lemma יְתְנָן first vowel, corrected to יִתְנָן; from the same as תַּנִּין; extensive; Jithnan, a place in Palestine; Ithnan.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
לא ידוע (unknown) — uncertain, toponymic designation
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H175 | אַהֲרוֹן | and to Aharon |
| H176 | אוֹ | or |
| H1834 | דַּמֶּשֶׂק | Damascus |
| H2051 | וְדָן | Vedan |
| H2261 | חֲבַצֶּלֶת | splendid wildflower |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3497-01 |
וְ/יִתְנָֽן | veyitenan | HC/Np |
and Ithnan | and Yithnan | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3497-01 |
Joshua 15:23 | וְ/יִתְנָֽן | veyitenan | HC/Np |
and Ithnan | and Yithnan |