רִמּוֹן
Rimmon, the name of a Syrian deity, also of five places in Palestine
Definition
Rimmon is a proper noun in the Hebrew Bible with two primary meanings. First, it refers to a Syrian deity, 'Rimmon,' mentioned in 2 Kings 5:18, where Naaman, after being healed by Elisha, asks for pardon for bowing in the temple of this god. Second, it is the name of several geographical locations in Palestine. These include a city in the territory of Judah (Joshua 15:32), a city allotted to Simeon (Joshua 19:7), a rock or cliff in Benjamin where 600 Benjamites took refuge (Judges 20:45, 47), and a town associated with the Gibeonites (Zechariah 14:10). The name itself means 'pomegranate,' which may have symbolic or descriptive significance for the places.
Biblical Usage
The word is used 13 times, primarily in the historical books of Joshua, Judges, and 2 Samuel. Its usage is evenly split between denoting a pagan deity (2 Kings 5:18) and identifying specific towns or landmarks. As a place name, it often appears in lists of territorial allotments (Joshua 15:32, 19:7) or in narratives describing conflict and refuge (Judges 20:45-47; 2 Samuel 4:2-5). There is no clear pattern linking the deity and the places beyond the shared name.
Etymology
The word רִמּוֹן (Rimmôwn) is identical to the common noun H7416 (רִמּוֹן), meaning 'pomegranate.' It is a primary noun, not derived from a verbal root. As a place name, it likely describes a location known for pomegranate trees or shaped like the fruit. The connection to the Syrian deity is less clear but may involve symbolic associations of the pomegranate with fertility or the underworld in ancient Near Eastern cultures.
Semantic Range
The word is theologically significant as it highlights the tension between the worship of Yahweh and foreign gods in Israel's history. The mention of the god Rimmon in 2 Kings 5:18 provides a concrete example of the pagan religious context surrounding Israel and the complex realities of faith for individuals like Naaman living within it. Understanding this term enriches reading by clarifying the cultural and religious 'otherness' that the biblical prophets and historians confronted.
In its original setting, 'Rimmon' as a deity was likely a storm or fertility god, possibly identified with Hadad or Baal, worshipped in Aram (modern Syria). The pomegranate was a common symbol of life, fertility, and abundance in the ancient Near East. Therefore, a place named 'Pomegranate' would have been understood as a fertile or desirable location. The modern reader might miss these symbolic layers, seeing only a proper name.
As a proper noun for a deity or place, it has no direct synonyms. For the common noun meaning 'pomegranate,' it is synonymous with its shorter form רִמֹּן (Rimmôn, H7416).
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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