אַשְׁנָה
Ashnah, the name of two places in Palestine
Definition
Ashnah is the name of two distinct towns in the territory allotted to the tribe of Judah, as recorded in the book of Joshua. The first Ashnah is listed among the cities in the lowland or Shephelah region (Joshua 15:33), while the second Ashnah appears in a later list of cities in the hill country (Joshua 15:43). Both are presented as part of Judah's inheritance following the conquest of Canaan, indicating they were established settlements within the tribal boundaries.
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively as a proper noun for place names in the Old Testament, appearing only twice in Joshua 15:33 and 15:43. Its usage is purely geographical, serving to identify specific locations within the tribal allotment of Judah. There are no narrative stories or events directly associated with these towns; they are simply listed among the many cities given to the tribe.
Etymology
The name Ashnah (אַשְׁנָה) is likely a variation or dialectical form of the Hebrew word יְשָׁנָה (Yeshanah, H3466), which means 'old' or 'sleeping.' This suggests the name may have originally described an ancient or long-established settlement. It is derived from the root ישׁן (y-sh-n), relating to sleep or age.
Semantic Range
As a place name, Ashnah reflects the practice of identifying towns by descriptive characteristics, possibly their age or antiquity. Its inclusion in the detailed town lists of Joshua 15 underscores the importance of land inheritance and tribal boundaries in ancient Israelite society, fulfilling God's promise to give the land of Canaan to the descendants of Abraham.
יְשָׁנָה (Yeshanah, H3466) — The likely base word meaning 'old' or 'sleeping,' from which Ashnah is probably derived.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →