דֲּבְרַת
Daberath, a place in Palestine
Definition
Daberath (דֲּבְרַת) is a proper noun referring to a town in the territory of the Israelite tribe of Issachar, later assigned to the Levites. It is identified with modern-day Daburiyeh, located at the northwestern foot of Mount Tabor. The town appears in the context of territorial allotments (Joshua 19:12) and as one of the cities given to the Levitical family of Gershon (Joshua 21:28, 1 Chronicles 6:72). Its location near a major mountain and on a key route gave it strategic importance in the region.
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively as a geographical place name in three Old Testament passages. It appears in the book of Joshua during the detailed description of the tribal inheritance of Issachar (Joshua 19:12) and again in the list of cities given to the Levites from the tribes (Joshua 21:28). The same Levitical city list is repeated in 1 Chronicles 6:72. All uses are administrative, relating to the division of the Promised Land.
Etymology
The name Daberath derives from the Hebrew root דָּבַר (dāḇar, H1697), meaning 'to speak' or 'word.' It is likely connected to the noun דֹּבֶר (dōḇer, H1699), meaning 'pasture' or 'herd.' Therefore, the place name probably means 'pastureland' or 'place of grazing,' reflecting its agricultural setting. This connection to 'speaking' may also imply a 'place of command' or oracle, though the pastoral sense is more direct.
Semantic Range
As a Levitical city, Daberath represents the fulfillment of God's promise to provide for the tribe of Levi, which received no territorial inheritance but was given cities scattered among the other tribes (Joshua 21). Its mention underscores the themes of divine provision, the sanctification of the land, and the integration of the priestly service into the life of all Israel. Its location also places it near the likely region of Jesus' Transfiguration (Mount Tabor), creating a subtle link between the Old Testament Levitical inheritance and New Testament revelation.
In its ancient Near Eastern context, a town like Daberath was a small agricultural settlement. Its identification as a Levitical city meant it was a center for religious instruction, administration of justice, and preservation of Mosaic law. The Levites living there would have served as teachers and judges for the surrounding region of Issachar. Its name, suggesting pasture, points to an economy based on herding and farming, typical of the Lower Galilee.
No direct synonyms as a proper place name. Related conceptually to other Levitical cities like Shechem (H7927) or Hebron (H2275), which were also designated for priestly service.
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 →