עַשְׁתְּרָתִי
𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤓𐤕𐤉
ʻAshtᵉrâthîy
H6254 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Demonym or gentilic referring to a person originating from or residing in the city of Ashtaroth; specifically, an inhabitant of Ashtaroth. Used as a term denoting geographic identity, rather than tribal or ethnic affiliation. The word is employed to specify someone's origin or identity as linked to this particular city, which was located in the region of Bashan, northeast of the Jordan River.
Semantic Range
inhabitant of Ashtaroth, person from Ashtaroth, Ashterathite
Root / Etymology
Formed by suffixation of the gentilic ending -ִי (yod-hireq) to the place name עַשְׁתָּרוֹת (Ashtaroth), following the standard biblical Hebrew pattern for demonyms. The root עשתרת is connected to the city, whose name itself may be related to the ancient Northwest Semitic goddess Astarte, but here functions strictly as a toponym.
Historical & Contextual Notes
עַשְׁתְּרָתִי appears in contexts identifying individuals by geographic origin, such as the listing of warriors in David's retinue (2 Samuel 23:31; 1 Chronicles 11:34). The term emphasizes locational or municipal belonging rather than lineage (tribal affiliation) or broader ethnic/national identity (such as Israelite). English translations often render it as 'Ashterathite,' which preserves the form but does not clarify the semantic range for non-specialists. Its usage is limited to a small number of texts, with no evidence for semantic development or shifting nuance. The underlying city, Ashtaroth, was an important urban center in Bashan, but the term עַשְׁתְּרָתִי itself appears only in proper noun lists, typically military or administrative rosters. In these lists, gentilic terms like this serve to differentiate people based on place of origin, especially in periods where such identification mattered for social organization or military structure. The term is strictly a demonym and should not be conflated with religious or cultural terms relating to the worship of Astarte, despite the similarity of the names.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
patrial from עַשְׁתָּרוֹת; an Ashterathite or inhabitant of Ashtaroth; Ashterathite.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עשתר (ʿ-š-t-r) — association with a place, geographic origin, belonging to Ashtaroth
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1203 | בְּעֶשְׁתְּרָה | Ashtoreth-Place |
| H6252 | עַשְׁתָּרוֹת | Abundance-Goddesses |
| H6253 | עַשְׁתֹּרֶת | Ashtoreth, Abundance-Goddess |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6254-01 |
הָ/עֲשְׁתְּרָתִ֑י | haasheterati | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Ashterathite | the Ashtarothite | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6254-01 |
1 Chronicles 11:44 | הָ/עֲשְׁתְּרָתִ֑י | haasheterati | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Ashterathite | the Ashtarothite |