לִבְנָה
Libnah, a place in the Desert and one in Palestine
Definition
Libnah is a proper noun referring to two distinct locations in the Old Testament. First, it was a desert encampment of the Israelites during the Exodus, mentioned in the itinerary lists of Numbers 33:20-21. Second, and more prominently, it was a Canaanite city in the Shephelah (lowland) region of Judah, conquered by Joshua (Joshua 10:29-32, 39). This city was later allotted to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:42) and became a Levitical city (Joshua 21:13).
Biblical Usage
The name Libnah appears 17 times, primarily in the historical books of Numbers, Joshua, 2 Kings, and 2 Chronicles. In Numbers, it is used in a list of wilderness stopping points. In Joshua, it is a key city conquered during the southern campaign. Later, in 2 Kings 8:22 and 2 Chronicles 21:10, it is noted as a city that revolted against King Jehoram of Judah. Its usage is consistently geographical, identifying a specific place.
Etymology
The name Libnah (לִבְנָה) is derived from the root לבן (lbn), meaning 'to be white.' It is the feminine form of the common noun לִבְנֶה (libneh, H3839), which refers to the 'white poplar' or 'storax' tree. Thus, the place name likely means 'the white place,' possibly referring to the white chalk or limestone of the region or to a grove of white poplar trees.
Semantic Range
Libnah's history reflects key theological themes of God's judgment and faithfulness. Its conquest demonstrates God fulfilling His promise to give the land of Canaan to Israel (Joshua 10). Its later revolt against the idolatrous King Jehoram (2 Chronicles 21:10-11) illustrates God's judgment on a covenant-breaking king through the rebellion of a city that was part of Judah's inheritance. Its status as a Levitical city highlights God's provision for the priestly tribe.
As a fortified Canaanite city, Libnah was a significant military and administrative center in the Judean lowlands. Its conquest by Joshua was a strategic victory in securing the region. The name's connection to whiteness (from chalk or trees) would have been an immediate, descriptive geographical identifier for ancient Israelites, much like modern place names referencing local flora or geology.
No direct synonyms as a proper place name. Related by root: לִבְנֶה (libneh, H3839) — the 'white poplar' tree from which the place name is 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.
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