כְּפַר הָעַמּוֹנִי
Kefar-ha-Ammoni, a place in Palestine
Definition
כְּפַר הָעַמּוֹנִי (Kefar-ha-Ammoni) is a proper noun identifying a specific village or settlement in ancient Palestine. The name literally means 'village of the Ammonite,' indicating it was likely a settlement inhabited by or associated with the Ammonite people, a neighboring group often in conflict with Israel. It is listed only once in the Bible as one of the cities within the territory allotted to the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18:24). Its precise location remains uncertain to modern archaeology, but its inclusion in a detailed border list confirms it was a recognized place in the tribal geography of the Promised Land.
Biblical Usage
This place name is used only a single time in the Old Testament, in Joshua 18:24. It appears within a comprehensive list of cities given to the tribe of Benjamin as part of the division of the land of Canaan. Its usage is purely geographical and administrative, serving to define the tribal inheritance. There are no narrative stories or other contextual uses associated with this location.
Etymology
The name is a compound phrase derived from כָּפָר (kāphār, H3723), meaning 'village' or 'hamlet,' and עַמּוֹנִי (ʻAmmôwnîy, H5984), meaning 'Ammonite.' The definite article הָ (hâ-) is interposed, creating the construct chain 'village of the Ammonite.' This follows a common Hebrew naming pattern for settlements, indicating its ethnic or geographic association.
Semantic Range
While the village itself is not the focus of any theological narrative, its mention contributes to the theme of God's faithfulness in fulfilling the promise of land to the tribes of Israel. Its inclusion in the precise, divinely-ordained allotment to Benjamin (Joshua 18:24) underscores the completeness and specificity of God's provision. Understanding its name ('village of the Ammonite') also subtly reminds readers of the ongoing tension and proximity between Israel and the surrounding nations, a recurring theme in the conquest and settlement periods.
In the ancient Near East, place names often reflected the inhabitants, a founder, or a geographical feature. A name meaning 'village of the Ammonite' suggests this settlement was either founded by, populated by, or formerly controlled by the Ammonites, a Transjordanian people group descended from Lot (Genesis 19:38). Its assignment to Benjamin, a tribe whose territory bordered Ammonite lands, reflects the complex ethnic and political landscape of the region following the Israelite conquest.
עִיר (ʻîyr, H5892) — A more general term for a city or town, often walled and larger than a כָּפָר (village). חָצֵר (châtsêr, H2691) — A settlement, enclosure, or hamlet, sometimes smaller or more temporary than a כָּפָר.
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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