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עֶגְלוֹן

𐤏𐤂𐤋𐤅𐤍

Egelon

H5700 noun

SILEX Entry

Root עגל to be round, to produce a calf, to bear young

Definition

A proper noun referring either to: (1) a city in the lowland region (Shephelah) of southern Canaan, associated with the coalition of Canaanite cities during the period of the Israelite conquest; or (2) a personal name, most notably the Moabite king Eglon mentioned in the book of Judges. The term is formed from the root meaning 'calf,' though, as a proper name, it does not inherently convey the literal sense of its root but rather functions as a distinct toponym or personal name. The semantic range encompasses usage as the name of a location and as a personal name for a king.

Semantic Range

proper name of a city (Eglon in the Shephelah), proper name of Moabite king (Eglon); possible meaning based on root: 'calf-like' or 'calf-town' (etymological only, not the contextual lexical meaning)

Root / Etymology

From the root עגל ('ʿgl'), which means 'to be round' or 'to produce a calf.' The noun עֵגֶל ('ʿēgel') means 'calf,' and עֶגְלוֹן ('ʿEglôn') is a derivative—likely serving as a diminutive or augmentative form as a proper name. As with many ancient Near Eastern names, the precise rationale for its application as a name (whether for a city or person) is not fully recoverable, but it may have originally signified something akin to 'calf-like,' or 'place/person of the calf.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, עֶגְלוֹן appears chiefly as the name of a Canaanite city located in the Shephelah, listed among cities conquered in the conquest narratives (Joshua). This region was agriculturally productive, which may relate to the word's root association with livestock. The name is also borne by the king of Moab, Eglon, a notable adversary of the Israelites in Judges 3. In English translations, 'Eglon' is maintained as a transliterated proper name. The term is unrelated to the later historical term 'Jew' or 'Jewish' and is used strictly as a geographical or personal name tied to specific historical contexts. Across biblical usage, the meaning is consistent, referring to either the location or the Moabite king—both proper names with no direct lexically descriptive function in context. The basic root ('calf') informs the etymological background but not the contextual meaning in biblical narratives.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from עֵגֶל; vituline; Eglon, the name of a place in Palestine and of a Moabitish king; Eglon.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

עגל (ʿ-g-l) — to be round, to produce a calf, to bear young

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4570 מַעְגָּל in the round path
H5694 עָגִיל round ornament-ring
H5695 עֵגֶל young bull-calves
H5696 עָגֹל rounded
H5697 עֶגְלָה with my heifer

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5700-01 עֶגְל֖וֹן egelon HNp Eglon Eglon 6
H5700-03 לְ/עֶגְל֑וֹן leegelon HR/Np to Eglon to Eglon 3
H5700-05 וְ/עֶגְלֽוֹן veegelon HC/Np and Eglon and Eglon 2
H5700-02 עֶגְלֹ֑נָ/ה egelonah HNp/Sd to Eglon Eglon 1
H5700-04 מֵ/עֶגְל֖וֹנָ/ה meegelonah HR/Np/Sd from Eglon from Eglon 1

Occurrences in Scripture

13 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5700-01 Joshua 10:3 עֶגְל֖וֹן egelon HNp of Eglon Eglon
H5700-01 Joshua 10:5 עֶגְל֔וֹן egelon HNp Eglon Eglon
H5700-01 Joshua 10:23 עֶגְלֽוֹן egelon HNp of Eglon Eglon
H5700-02 Joshua 10:34 עֶגְלֹ֑נָ/ה egelonah HNp/Sd to Eglon Eglon
H5700-04 Joshua 10:36 מֵ/עֶגְל֖וֹנָ/ה meegelonah HR/Np/Sd from Eglon from Eglon
H5700-03 Joshua 10:37 לְ/עֶגְל֑וֹן leegelon HR/Np to Eglon to Eglon
H5700-01 Joshua 12:12 עֶגְלוֹן֙ egelon HNp of Eglon Eglon
H5700-05 Joshua 15:39 וְ/עֶגְלֽוֹן veegelon HC/Np and Eglon and Eglon
H5700-01 Judges 3:12 עֶגְל֤וֹן egelon HNp Eglon Eglon
H5700-01 Judges 3:14 עֶגְל֣וֹן egelon HNp Eglon Eglon
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