בֹּהַן
thumb, Bohan, an Israelite
Definition
בֹּהַן (Bohan) is a proper noun referring to an individual, likely an Israelite, after whom a geographical landmark was named. In its two biblical occurrences, it is used exclusively as the name 'Bohan' to identify a stone or boundary marker. The word is an orthographical variation of the common noun בֹּהֶן (bōhen, H931), which means 'thumb' or 'big toe,' but in these contexts, it functions solely as a personal or place name. The 'Stone of Bohan' served as a key boundary point in the tribal allotments described in Joshua 15:6 and 18:17, marking the border between the territories of Judah and Benjamin.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only twice in the Old Testament, both times in the book of Joshua within descriptions of tribal boundaries. It is used specifically as a proper name for a landmark: 'the Stone of Bohan the son of Reuben' (Joshua 15:6, 18:17). The context is purely geographical and administrative, detailing the precise borders of the Promised Land as divided among the Israelite tribes. There is no narrative or dialogue associated with the person Bohan; the name simply provides a fixed reference point on the landscape.
Etymology
בֹּהַן (Bohan) is derived as a variant spelling of the Hebrew noun בֹּהֶן (bōhen, H931), meaning 'thumb' or 'big toe.' This connection suggests the name Bohan may have originally been a descriptive nickname or personal identifier, perhaps relating to a physical characteristic or symbolic act. As a proper noun, it lost its literal anatomical meaning and became attached to a person and subsequently to a stone marker that bore his name.
Semantic Range
While the word itself is not theologically charged, its usage contributes to the important biblical theme of God's faithfulness in fulfilling the promise of the land. The precise, recorded boundary markers like the Stone of Bohan (Joshua 15:6, 18:17) underscore the concrete, historical reality of Israel's inheritance. It highlights the orderly and deliberate division of the land as an act of God's provision, anchoring the covenant promises in specific geography.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, permanent natural features like large stones were commonly used as official, unchanging boundary markers for property and territories. Naming such a marker after an individual (e.g., 'son of Reuben') lent it authority and recognition, helping to prevent disputes. The use of a personal name for a landmark reflects a practice of memorializing individuals within the community's shared geography and history.
בֹּהֶן (bōhen, H931) — The base word meaning 'thumb' or 'big toe,' from which the proper name Bohan is derived. גְּבוּל (gᵉḇûl, H1366) — A general term for 'border' or 'boundary,' the category into which the Stone of Bohan functionally fits. אֶבֶן (ʾeven, H68) — The common word for 'stone,' the material of the landmark itself.
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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