בַּעֲלֵי יְהוּדָה
𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤃𐤄
Baaley Yehudah
H1184 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A toponym meaning 'inhabitants (or lords) of Judah,' referring to a location associated specifically with the people of Judah. As a place name, it designates a town within the territory of Judah, notably mentioned as the site from which the ark of the covenant was transported in the period of David. The term's construction combines a plural possessive of 'owner, lord, inhabitant' with a genitive of 'Judah.' The sense could range from 'settlers of Judah' to 'citizens of the Judahite town.'
Semantic Range
inhabitants of Judah, lords of Judah, citizens of Judah, a town or settlement named after its Judahite inhabitants
Root / Etymology
Compound from the plural construct form of בַּעַל (baʿal, 'owner, lord, inhabitant') and יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûdâh, 'Judah'). Hence, בַּעֲלֵי יְהוּדָה literally means 'inhabitants (or lords, citizens) of Judah.' Used as a place name, it reflects either the people inhabiting the region or the town collectively named for such inhabitants.
Historical & Contextual Notes
בַּעֲלֵי יְהוּדָה occurs in 2 Samuel 6:2 as a toponym, likely identifying the same site elsewhere called 'Kiriath-Jearim' (see 1 Chronicles 13:6). The use here implies a population-based name for the town, emphasizing the Judahite identity of its inhabitants. Unlike other ancient toponyms formed directly from landscape or city features, this name underscores the ethnic or tribal affiliation. Standard English translations sometimes render it 'Baale of Judah,' obscuring the phrase's plural and collective meaning; some translations shift to 'Kiriath-Jearim' following the Chronicles parallel. This toponym reflects typical Iron Age naming conventions that tie place names to social or ethnic identity rather than geography alone.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the plural of בַּעַל and יְהוּדָה; masters of Judah; Baale-Jehudah, a place in Palestine; Baale of Judah.
Bantu Hebrew
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בעל יהודה (b-ʿ-l; y-h-w-d-h) — to own, to possess, to inhabit; Judah (tribe/region name)
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1184-02 |
יְהוּדָ֑ה | yehudah | HNp |
of Judah | Yah is praised | 1 |
H1184-01 |
מִֽ/בַּעֲלֵ֖י | mibaaley | HR/Np |
from Baale- | from the inhabitants of Judah | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1184-01 |
2 Samuel 6:2 | מִֽ/בַּעֲלֵ֖י | mibaaley | HR/Np |
from Baale- | from the inhabitants of Judah |
H1184-02 |
2 Samuel 6:2 | יְהוּדָ֑ה | yehudah | HNp |
of Judah | Yah is praised |