עִיר שֶׁמֶשׁ
𐤏𐤉𐤓 𐤔𐤌𐤔
Ir Shemesh
H5905 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name designating an ancient settlement, meaning 'city of the sun.' Used as a toponym, it refers specifically to a city associated either with sun worship, a solar cult, or notable location marked by its relation to the sun—whether in religious, cultural, or geographic terms. The compound highlights the city's character or dedication, either literal or figurative, to the solar deity or significance.
Semantic Range
the (urban) city of the sun, city dedicated to or associated with the sun (deity or phenomenon), name of an ancient settlement allotted in the tribal territories, possible cultic or geographic designation
Root / Etymology
Derived from the noun עִיר (ʿîr, 'city') and the noun שֶׁמֶשׁ (šemeš, 'sun'). The name is a descriptive compound toponym, 'city of the sun,' directly paralleling similar formations in other Semitic languages, such as Egyptian On (Heliopolis, which likewise means 'city of the sun'). Both root words are transparent and common throughout Biblical Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
עִיר שֶׁמֶשׁ (ʿÎyr Shemesh) occurs as a proper name for a settlement given to the descendants of Aaron in the territory of the tribe of Dan (Joshua 19:41; Joshua 21:16; 1 Chronicles 6:59). Its form and meaning are consistent with Canaanite/West Semitic place-naming practices, in which cities were often associated with major deities or natural phenomena (cf. Beth-Shemesh, 'house of the sun'). The identification with modern sites is debated; some associate it with Tell er-Rumeileh near Beth-Shemesh. The reference to 'city of the sun' may reflect earlier Canaanite religious practices or a subsequent Israelite absorption of the site with its traditional name. Later translation tradition (e.g., KJV 'Ir-shemesh') transliterates rather than translates, while other ancient Near Eastern sites with analogous names (such as Heliopolis in Egypt) echo similar religious topographies. In biblical contexts the name does not imply that the city's inhabitants at all times practiced solar worship, nor does it provide evidence about religious identity per se, but it preserves the memory of a site's religious or geographic character in its earliest naming.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from עִיר and שֶׁמֶשׁ; city of the sun; Ir-Shemesh, a place in Palestine; Irshemesh.
Bantu Hebrew
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עיר שמש (ʿ-y-r; š-m-š) — city, settlement, urban center; sun, solar, shining
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5905-01 |
שָֽׁמֶשׁ | shamesh | HNp |
shemesh | Sun-City | 1 |
H5905-02 |
וְ/עִ֥יר | veir | HC/Np |
and Ir | city of the sun | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5905-02 |
Joshua 19:41 | וְ/עִ֥יר | veir | HC/Np |
and Ir | city of the sun |
H5905-01 |
Joshua 19:41 | שָֽׁמֶשׁ | shamesh | HNp |
shemesh | Sun-City |