תֵּבֵץ
𐤕𐤁𐤑
Tevets
H8405 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name for a Canaanite city, known as Tevetz or Tebets, referenced primarily as a geographic location in biblical narratives. Though related to the concept of 'whiteness' at an etymological level, as a place name it principally denotes the specific settlement rather than referencing color or substance directly. The semantic range includes both the name of the city itself and potentially, by extension, its inhabitants or environs in specific contexts.
Semantic Range
Tebets (Thebez) as a place or city in ancient Canaan/Israel, possibly alluding to whiteness in physical characteristics; refers specifically to the location and sometimes by extension to its people or events associated with it
Root / Etymology
The name תֵּבֵץ (Têbêts) is related by form to the root בוץ (bûṣ), meaning 'to be white' or 'whiteness,' possibly referencing the light-colored soils or physical appearance of the location. It is generally classified as a toponymic derivative rather than a common noun. The name's exact etymological connotation—why this city was named for 'whiteness'—is speculative.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Têbêts appears in the Hebrew Bible primarily in Judges 9:50, in the narrative of Abimelech. The city is described as a site of strategic importance during the period of the Judges. Later historical and archaeological evidence for the precise location or significance of Tebets is limited, and it does not appear to have sustained mention beyond the biblical text. English translations uniformly use the transliterated name 'Thebez,' consistent with tradition. There is no evidence to connect the inhabitants of this town to specific Israelite, Canaanite, or later Judean identities beyond its function as a Canaanite or Israelite-period settlement. The name’s connection to 'whiteness' conveys possible physical characteristics but does not directly inform the narrative function of the term as a place name. Unlike other biblical toponyms, Tebets did not develop broader symbolic or religious significance in later Jewish tradition. The semantic link to בוץ ('fine linen,' 'whiteness') should not be interpreted as indicating economic activity or specific features except as a possible descriptive origin for the name.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as בּוּץ; whiteness; Tebets, a place in Palestine; Thebez.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בוצ (b-w-ṣ) — whiteness, brightness, to be white
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8405-01 |
בְּ/תֵבֵ֖ץ | betevets | HR/Np |
against it | in Tebets | 2 |
H8405-02 |
תֵּבֵ֑ץ | tevets | HNp |
Thebez | Tebets | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8405-02 |
Judges 9:50 | תֵּבֵ֑ץ | tevets | HNp |
Thebez | Tebets |
H8405-01 |
Judges 9:50 | בְּ/תֵבֵ֖ץ | betevets | HR/Np |
against it | in Tebets |
H8405-01 |
2 Samuel 11:21 | בְּ/תֵבֵ֔ץ | betevets | HR/Np |
at Thebez | in Tebets |