מַרְאֵשָׁה
𐤌𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤄
Mareeshah
H4762 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun referring primarily to an ancient city in the Shephelah region of southern Judah (Judahite territory), known as Mareshah. The term may also be used as a personal name for individuals in the genealogies of the Hebrew Bible. While the root may suggest 'summit' or 'hilltop,' in most contexts, the word functions as a place name or rarely as a personal name. The predominant lexical usage denotes the fortified Judahite city mentioned in connection with the kings of Judah and military events.
Semantic Range
summit, hilltop (rare/etymological); name of a Judahite city; personal name in genealogies
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root רֹאשׁ (ראשׁ), meaning 'head' or 'top,' with the ma- prefix denoting place or result, forming a noun signifying 'summit' or 'hilltop.' The actual lexical meaning is typically as a proper noun: Mareshah.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Mareshah appears chiefly as the name of a city allotted to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:44) and fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:8). It is notably the site of Asa's victory over Zerah the Cushite (2 Chronicles 14:9-10). Archaeological identification points to Tell Sandahannah near Beit Guvrin. In genealogical contexts (1 Chronicles 2:42; 4:21), it may appear as the name of an individual or descendant, but the place name dominates in historical and narrative texts. English translations consistently render this as 'Mareshah,' maintaining its status as a proper noun. Later Greek and Latin sources refer to the city with similar place-name transliterations. There is no evidence of the term being used in a general topographical sense outside its toponymic/personal name function. Over time, the significance of Mareshah shifts from a fortified Judahite city in the monarchic period to a Hellenistic-period settlement and, eventually, a site of early Christian burial activity.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or מַרֵשָׁה; formed like מַרְאָשָׁה; summit; Mareshah, the name of two Israelites and of a place in Palestine; Mareshah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ראשׁ (r-ʾ-sh) — head, top, summit
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4761 | מַרְאָשָׁה | your dominions |
| H4763 | מְרַאֲשָׁה | his headrests |
| H7217 | רֵאשׁ | be head |
| H7219 | רֹאשׁ | poison-plant |
| H7221 | רִאשָׁה | from your beginnings |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4762-02 |
מָֽרֵשָׁ֑ה | mareshah | HNp |
Mareshah | Mareshah | 5 |
H4762-03 |
מִ/מָּ֣רֵשָׁ֔ה | mimareshah | HR/Np |
of Mareshah | from Mareshah | 1 |
H4762-01 |
לְ/מָרֵשָֽׁה | lemareshah | HR/Np |
at Mareshah | to Mareshah | 1 |
H4762-04 |
וּ/מָֽרֵאשָׁ֑ה | umareshah | HC/Np |
and Mareshah | and Mareshah | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4762-04 |
Joshua 15:44 | וּ/מָֽרֵאשָׁ֑ה | umareshah | HC/Np |
and Mareshah | and Mareshah |
H4762-02 |
Micah 1:15 | מָֽרֵשָׁ֑ה | mareshah | HNp |
of Mareshah | Mareshah |
H4762-02 |
1 Chronicles 2:42 | מָרֵשָׁ֖ה | mareshah | HNp |
Mareshah | Mareshah |
H4762-02 |
1 Chronicles 4:21 | מָרֵשָׁ֑ה | mareshah | HNp |
Mareshah | Mareshah |
H4762-02 |
2 Chronicles 11:8 | מָרֵשָׁ֖ה | mareshah | HNp |
Mareshah | Mareshah |
H4762-02 |
2 Chronicles 14:8 | מָרֵשָֽׁה | mareshah | HNp |
Mareshah | Mareshah |
H4762-01 |
2 Chronicles 14:9 | לְ/מָרֵשָֽׁה | lemareshah | HR/Np |
at Mareshah | to Mareshah |
H4762-03 |
2 Chronicles 20:37 | מִ/מָּ֣רֵשָׁ֔ה | mimareshah | HR/Np |
of Mareshah | from Mareshah |