תִּמְנָע
𐤕𐤌𐤍𐤏
Timena
H8555 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun referring to 'Timna,' a personal and geographic name appearing in the Hebrew Bible. As a personal name, designates a woman of Edomite lineage (noted as a concubine of Eliphaz, son of Esau) and possibly additional individuals in Edomite genealogies. As a place name, refers to several ancient towns in the southern Levant, notably in the territory assigned to Judah, and to a village southwest of the biblical hill country. The meaning of the name itself may imply 'portion' or 'withholding,' but in context functions as a name rather than a descriptor. Semantic range includes use as the name of a person and as the name of multiple sites.
Semantic Range
proper name of a woman (Edomite); proper name of ancient towns in the southern Levant; possibly signifies 'portion' or 'withholding' in origin, but only functions as a proper noun in biblical usage
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root מָנַע (mana‘, 'to withhold, hold back, restrain'). The prefix תִּ may serve as a nominal formative, possibly indicating 'portion' or 'allotment'; however, the exact formation is debated and the original referential nuance of the name is uncertain. Over time, the meaning as a proper name eclipsed any etymological sense.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The personal name תִּמְנָע (Timna) occurs in Genesis 36 as a woman of Edomite descent, associated with the family of Esau. Notably, Septuagint and later Jewish traditions sometimes conflate or distinguish various Timnas in genealogical lists. As a place name, Timna is associated with sites in the southern Shephelah/Judean lowlands (Joshua 15:10, 57) and possibly in the Negev, connected in archaeological discussions to copper mining and ancient trade routes. English translations typically render both the personal and place names as 'Timna' or 'Timnah.' The proper noun function in biblical sources overrides any tendency to read it as a common noun with the meaning 'restraint.' No religious, ethnic, or cultural identity is implied by the name outside the genealogical or geographic context in which it appears.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from מָנַע; restraint; Timna, the name of two Edomites; Timna, Timnah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מנע (m-n-ʿ) — withhold, hold back, restrain
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8555-01 |
תִּמְנָֽע | timena | HNp |
Timna | Timna | 4 |
H8555-02 |
וְ/תִמְנַ֣ע | vetimena | HC/Np |
and Timna | and Timna | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8555-02 |
Genesis 36:12 | וְ/תִמְנַ֣ע | vetimena | HC/Np |
Timna | and Timna |
H8555-01 |
Genesis 36:22 | תִּמְנָֽע | timena | HNp |
was Timna | Timna |
H8555-01 |
Genesis 36:40 | תִּמְנָ֛ע | timena | HNp |
Timna | Timna |
H8555-02 |
1 Chronicles 1:36 | וְ/תִמְנָ֥ע | vetimena | HC/Np |
and Timna | and Timna |
H8555-01 |
1 Chronicles 1:39 | תִּמְנָֽע | timena | HNp |
Timna | Timna |
H8555-01 |
1 Chronicles 1:51 | תִּמְנָ֛ע | timena | HNp |
Timna | Timna |