אֲנָחֲרָת
𐤀𐤍𐤇𐤓𐤕
Anacharat
H588 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A toponym designating a town or locality; primarily refers to a geographic site mentioned within tribal territory. In context, the word likely refers to a place characterized by a ravine, mountain pass, or narrow valley terrain. As a proper noun it identifies a location, not a common noun for 'gorge.'
Semantic Range
proper noun identifying a town or location; possibly associated (by etymological inference) with a narrow valley, ravine, or mountain pass, though strictly used as a geographic toponym in the Hebrew Bible
Root / Etymology
Likely derived from the root נחר ('n-ḥ-r'), meaning 'to snort' (of nostrils/exhaling), or associated with terrain features such as a ravine or cleft due to similarity with Arabic and other Semitic parallels. The precise connection to topography is inferred, but the derivation of the place name is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אֲנָחֲרָת occurs only in Joshua 19:19, representing a town within the allotment of the tribe of Issachar. The form shows features typical of regional toponyms in biblical Hebrew and may reflect a site notable for its geographical features, possibly a ravine or pass. The term itself was not used as a common noun in biblical Hebrew; its usage is solely as a toponym. Standard English translations transliterate the word as 'Anaharath,' treating it purely as a place name. It is unattested outside the biblical context and has not been securely identified archaeologically. The name's structure (ending in -ath) is paralleled in other ancient Near Eastern place names. Later Greek and Latin translations preserved the form but provided no additional information about its meaning or location. The association with any narrow pass or gorge is inferential, from root etymology, and not an attested semantic use in the biblical text.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably from the same root as נַחַר; a gorge or narrow pass; Anacharath, a place in Palestine; Anaharath.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נחר (n-ḥ-r) — to snort, to breathe heavily, to emit a guttural sound
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5152 | נָחוֹר | to Nahor |
| H5156 | נְחִיר | from his nostrils |
| H5170 | נַחַר | snorting of |
| H5171 | נַחֲרַי | Nacharai |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H588-01 |
וַ/אֲנָחֲרַֽת | vaanacharat | HC/Np |
and Anaharath | and Anacharath | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H588-01 |
Joshua 19:19 | וַ/אֲנָחֲרַֽת | vaanacharat | HC/Np |
and Anaharath | and Anacharath |