יָנִים
𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤌
Yanim
H3241 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Yanim – a proper place name referring to a settlement or locality in the southern hill country of ancient Judah, possibly meaning 'place of sleeping' or 'quiet place.'
Semantic Range
place of sleeping, quiet place, Janim as a proper name for a locality, possibly metaphorically associated with rest or stillness; does not appear as a common noun in the Hebrew Bible
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root נום (nun-vav-mem), which means 'to slumber, to sleep.' The formation יָנִים (Yânîym) is built upon this root, possibly as a nominal form denoting a place characterized by slumber, stillness, or restfulness. The precise development of the place name from the root is uncertain, and alternate linguistic solutions have been proposed, though none are definitive.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Yanim appears in the biblical text in Joshua 15:53 as part of the list of towns allotted to the tribe of Judah in the southern hill country region. The name does not recur elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible and is not mentioned among prominent later settlements, suggesting it was a minor or obscure settlement in the Iron Age. The rendering 'Janim' (or 'Janum') follows traditional English Bible translations, reflecting a transliteration rather than a translation of meaning. The semantic link to 'slumber' or 'sleep' is suggestive but not explicitly stated in the biblical context; such place-names often convey local characteristics, legendary associations, or landscape features. There is no evidence of a later Judean or religious significance for the site, and its precise identification remains uncertain. The Greek Septuagint offers different transliterations, but without impact on the underlying Hebrew meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from נוּם; asleep; Janim, a place in Palestine; Janum (from the margin).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נום (n-w-m) — to slumber, to sleep
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5123 | נוּם | to slumber |
| H5124 | נוּמָה | slumbering drowsiness |
| H8572 | תְּנוּמָה | slumberings |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3241-01 |
וְ/יָנ֥וּם | veyanum | HC/Np |
and Janum | and Sleep-Place | 1 |
H3241-02 |
ו/ינים | vynym | HC/Np |
and Janim | and Slumber-Place | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3241-02 |
Joshua 15:53 | ו/ינים | vynym | HC/Np |
and Janim | and Slumber-Place |
H3241-01 |
Joshua 15:53 | וְ/יָנ֥וּם | veyanum | HC/Np |
and Janum | and Sleep-Place |