עַטְרוֹת אַדָּר
Atroth-Addar, a place in Palestine
Definition
Atroth-Addar is a place name meaning 'crowns of Addar' or 'crowns of the threshing floor.' It was a town located on the southern border of the tribe of Ephraim, as described in Joshua 16:5, and also on the northern border of the tribe of Benjamin, as noted in Joshua 18:13. This dual-border designation indicates it served as a significant geographical marker during the division of the Promised Land among the Israelite tribes. The name likely commemorates a notable feature or event associated with the location, possibly relating to agricultural threshing or a victory.
Biblical Usage
This proper noun appears only twice in the Old Testament, both times in the book of Joshua. Its usage is strictly geographical, serving to define tribal boundaries in the detailed land allotments described in Joshua 16:5 and Joshua 18:13. There are no narrative stories set at Atroth-Addar; its sole function is as a border landmark between Ephraim and Benjamin.
Etymology
The name is a compound of two Hebrew elements: 'Atroth' (עֲטָרוֹת), the plural of 'crown' or 'circlet' (from the root עטר, 'to surround'), and 'Addar' (אַדָּר), meaning 'threshing floor' or possibly 'mighty one.' Thus, it literally translates to 'crowns of Addar.' It is related to other place names beginning with 'Atroth,' such as Atroth-Shophan (Numbers 32:35).
Semantic Range
While the place name itself is not theologically loaded, its context in Joshua is significant. Atroth-Addar is part of the meticulous fulfillment of God's promise to give the land of Canaan to the tribes of Israel. Its mention underscores the historical reality and specificity of the inheritance, reflecting God's faithfulness and order in apportioning the Promised Land according to His plan.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, place names often commemorated events, geographical features, or ownership. A name meaning 'crowns of the threshing floor' might indicate a prominent, elevated threshing site—a vital agricultural center for processing grain. As a border town, it would have been a point of reference and possibly minor administrative or economic importance for the neighboring tribes.
Ataroth (עֲטָרוֹת, H5852) — A related place name meaning 'crowns,' found in Transjordan. Atroth-Shophan (עַטְרֹת שׁוֹפָן, H5856) — Another 'crowns' compound name for a town in Gad.
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.
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