אֶשְׁתְּמֹעַ (H851) — Hebrew Lexicon

אֶשְׁתְּמֹעַ

𐤀𐤔𐤕𐤌𐤏

Eshetemoa

H851 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שמע to hear, listen, obey

Definition

Eshtemoa; a prominent town in the southern hill country of Judah. In biblical texts, Eshtemoa refers specifically to a settlement listed among Levitical cities and appears in genealogical, territorial, and narrative passages. The term does not contain a generic meaning but designates a specific place name.

Semantic Range

proper place name (Eshtemoa); no generic sense; city in Judahite territory; Levitical city

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root שָׁמַע (sh-m-ʿ), meaning 'to hear' or 'to listen.' The precise sense of the compound name is uncertain; it may originally have referenced 'obedience' or 'hearing,' but as a place name, its etymological meaning is largely opaque and no longer active in biblical usage.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Eshtemoa is mentioned as a town in the southern territory allotted to Judah (Joshua 15:50) and as a Levitical city (Joshua 21:14; 1 Chronicles 6:57). It is also noted as a site to which David sent spoils after his campaign against the Amalekites (1 Samuel 30:28). In these contexts, its identity is strictly geographical, not ethnic or religious. Later tradition identifies the site with modern es-Semuˁ, south of Hebron. There is no evidence its name connoted 'obedience' or 'hearing' in practical usage by Israelites, though the base root suggests such. English translations often provide the bare transliteration of the place name, without conveying a meaning; references to 'Eshtemoa' as a city associated with Judahites in the monarchic period are accurate. The term is not used for an ethno-religious group or in the sense of 'Jew.'

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or אֶשְׁתְּמוֹעַ; or אֶשְׁתְּמֹה; from שָׁמַע (in the sense of obedience); Eshtemoa or Eshtemoh, a place in Palestine; Eshtemoa, Eshtemoh.

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Root Family

שמע (sh-m-ʿ) — to hear, listen, obey

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H2045	הַשְׁמָעוּת	for proclamation of
H3457	יִשְׁמָא	He-will-hear
H3459	יִשְׁמָעֵאלִי	the Yishmaʿelite
H3460	יִשְׁמַעְיָה	and Yah-hears
H4927	מִשְׁמָע	Mishma
H7889	שִׁימוֹן	Shimon
H8043	שִׁמְאָם	Shim'am
H8052	שְׁמוּעָה	for a heard-report
H8085	שָׁמַע	I cause to hear
H8086	שְׁמַע	and I heard
H8087	שֶׁמַע	and He-Has-Heard
H8088	שֵׁמַע	your report
H8089	שֹׁמַע	and his report
H8092	שִׁמְעָא	Yah Has Heard
H8093	שִׁמְעָה	She Who Is Heard
H8095	שִׁמְעוֹן	to He-who-hears
H8097	שִׁמְעִי	the Shimite
H8098	שְׁמַעְיָה	and Yah-has-heard
H8099	שִׁמְעֹנִי	the Shimʻonite

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H851-02`	אֶשְׁתְּמֹ֖עַ	eshetemoa	`HNp`	Eshtemoa	Eshtemoa	3
`H851-03`	וְ/אֶשְׁתְּמֹ֖עַ	veeshetemoa	`HC/Np`	and Eshtemoa	and Eshtemoa	1
`H851-01`	בְּ/אֶשְׁתְּמֹֽעַ	beeshetemoa	`HR/Np`	in Eshtemoa	in Eshtemoa	1
`H851-04`	וְ/אֶשְׁתְּמֹ֖ה	veeshetemoh	`HC/Np`	and Eshtemoh	and Eshtemoa	1

Occurrences in Scripture

6 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H851-04`	Joshua 15:50	וְ/אֶשְׁתְּמֹ֖ה	veeshetemoh	`HC/Np`	and Eshtemoh	and Eshtemoa
`H851-02`	Joshua 21:14	אֶשְׁתְּמֹ֖עַ	eshetemoa	`HNp`	Eshtemoa	Eshtemoa
`H851-01`	1 Samuel 30:28	בְּ/אֶשְׁתְּמֹֽעַ	beeshetemoa	`HR/Np`	in Eshtemoa	in Eshtemoa
`H851-02`	1 Chronicles 4:17	אֶשְׁתְּמֹֽעַ	eshetemoa	`HNp`	Eshtemoa	Eshtemoa
`H851-03`	1 Chronicles 4:19	וְ/אֶשְׁתְּמֹ֖עַ	veeshetemoa	`HC/Np`	and Eshtemoa	and Eshtemoa
`H851-02`	1 Chronicles 6:42	אֶשְׁתְּמֹ֖עַ	eshetemoa	`HNp`	Eshtemoa	Eshtemoa

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