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עֶצְיוֹן גֶּבֶר

𐤏𐤑𐤉𐤅𐤍 𐤂𐤁𐤓

Etseyon Gever

H6100 noun

SILEX Entry

Root עצה-גבר bone, backbone, rib, strength; man, male, strong man

Definition

Proper noun: Ezion-Geber (ʻEtsyôn Geber), a port or settlement located on the northeastern branch of the Red Sea (Gulf of Aqaba), historically significant as an important maritime hub for Israelite and Edomite commerce and shipping in the Iron Age. The name likely means 'backbone/rib of a man,' possibly referring to a ridge or geological formation resembling a backbone, or to a strategic or strong geographic position.

Semantic Range

proper name of a port or settlement, location associated with shipping and trade, reference to a ridge or geological feature resembling a backbone, symbolic of strength or strategic location

Root / Etymology

Compound of עֶצְיוֹן (ʻetzyon, related to עֶצֶה, 'bone' or 'backbone/rib') and גֶּבֶר (gever, 'man' or 'male'). The construction indicates 'backbone/stem of a man.' The root ע-צ-ה carries the sense of 'bone' or 'strength,' while ג-ב-ר conveys 'man' or sometimes 'strong man.' Thus, the toponym blends physical and anthropomorphic imagery for a location feature. The name is a place designation and not a descriptive common noun.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Ezion-Geber appears in biblical accounts as an Israelite port and waypoint on the trade routes connecting the Levant to Arabia and Africa (cf. Numbers 33:35, 1 Kings 9:26, 2 Chronicles 8:17). It is also associated with Edomite territory in certain periods, indicating shifts in political control and strategic importance. The name's anthropomorphic elements (backbone, man) reflect a broader linguistic tradition of describing topographical features in bodily terms. English traditions (such as KJV 'Ezion-geber,' sometimes paraphrased as 'the port of Ezion-Geber') preserve the name but may obscure the nature of the compound's imagery. No evidence supports use of the later term 'Jew' for the inhabitants in the periods discussed; the site held importance in both Israelite and Edomite contexts. The precise archaeological identification is debated, yet the biblical narrative consistently places Ezion-Geber as a southernmost border or port, likely controlling trade and shipbuilding activities in the Solomonic and subsequent eras. In post-exilic and Second Temple context, direct reference to the site wanes, indicating possible decline or loss of relevance.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from עָצֶה and גֶּבֶר; backbone-like of a man; Etsjon-Geber, a place on the Red Sea; Ezion-geber.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

עצה־גבר (ʿ-ṣ-h / g-b-r) — bone, backbone, rib, strength; man, strong man

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6100-02 גָּֽבֶר gaver HNp geber Backbone-of-a-Strong-Man 5
H6100-01 בְּ/עֶצְי֥וֹן beetseyon HR/Np at-Ezion in Backbone-of-a-Man 4
H6100-03 גֶּ֨בֶר gever HNp geber strong man 2
H6100-06 וּ/מֵ/עֶצְיֹ֣ן umeetseyon HC/R/Np and from Ezion and from Backbone-of-a-Strong-Man 1
H6100-05 מֵ/עֶצְי֣וֹן meetseyon HR/Np from Ezion from Backbone-of-a-Man 1
H6100-04 לְ/עֶצְיֽוֹן leetseyon HR/Np to Ezion-geber to Backbone-of-a-Man 1

Occurrences in Scripture

14 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6100-01 Numbers 33:35 בְּ/עֶצְי֥וֹן beetseyon HR/Np at Ezion in Backbone-of-a-Man
H6100-02 Numbers 33:35 גָּֽבֶר gaver HNp geber Backbone-of-a-Strong-Man
H6100-05 Numbers 33:36 מֵ/עֶצְי֣וֹן meetseyon HR/Np from Ezion from Backbone-of-a-Man
H6100-02 Numbers 33:36 גָּ֑בֶר gaver HNp geber Backbone-of-a-Strong-Man
H6100-06 Deuteronomy 2:8 וּ/מֵ/עֶצְיֹ֣ן umeetseyon HC/R/Np and from Ezion and from Backbone-of-a-Strong-Man
H6100-02 Deuteronomy 2:8 גָּ֑בֶר gaver HNp geber Backbone-of-a-Strong-Man
H6100-01 1 Kings 9:26 בְּ/עֶצְיֽוֹן beetseyon HR/Np at-Ezion in Backbone-of-a-Man
H6100-03 1 Kings 9:26 גֶּ֨בֶר gever HNp Geber strong man
H6100-01 1 Kings 22:49 בְּ/עֶצְי֥וֹן beetseyon HR/Np in-Ezion- in Backbone-of-a-Man
H6100-02 1 Kings 22:49 גָּֽבֶר gaver HNp geber Backbone-of-a-Strong-Man
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