צְרֵדָה
Tseredah, a place in Palestine
Definition
Tseredah (צְרֵדָה) is a proper noun referring to a town in the hill country of Ephraim, identified as the birthplace of Jeroboam I, who later became the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 11:26). The name may also appear in a variant form, Tseredathah (צְרֵדָתָה), which is referenced in 2 Chronicles 4:17 as the location where King Solomon cast the bronze articles for the temple. Both references point to a specific geographical location in ancient Palestine, though the exact site remains uncertain, with some scholars associating it with modern-day Tell el-Ful or a site near the Wadi Qelt.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice in the Old Testament, both times as a geographical identifier. In 1 Kings 11:26, it specifies the hometown of Jeroboam son of Nebat, setting the stage for his rise to power. In 2 Chronicles 4:17, it denotes the place where Solomon's craftsmen manufactured temple implements, highlighting its association with royal industry. The usage is consistently as a proper noun for a place, with no figurative or extended meanings.
Etymology
The name Tseredah likely derives from an unused Hebrew root meaning 'to pierce' or 'puncture,' possibly describing a location characterized by sharp terrain, such as a rocky or rugged area. The variant Tseredathah includes a directional or locative ending (-ah), common in Hebrew place names. Cognates or related terms are sparse, but the root concept suggests a geographical feature.
Semantic Range
Tseredah holds theological significance as the hometown of Jeroboam I, whose reign led to the division of the united kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 12). This event fulfilled prophetic judgment against Solomon's idolatry (1 Kings 11:29-39) and set in motion the northern kingdom's eventual downfall due to idol worship. Understanding its location enriches the narrative of God's sovereignty in raising and removing leaders according to His purposes.
In its ancient setting, Tseredah was a town in Ephraim, a region known for its strategic and fertile hill country. Its mention in connection with both Jeroboam and Solomon's temple work reflects its role in Israel's political and religious history. Modern readers might overlook the importance of such minor place names, but in biblical times, they anchored stories in real geography, affirming the historical reliability of the accounts.
Ephraim (ʼEphrayim, H669) — the tribal region containing Tseredah; Shechem (Shekem, H7927) — another significant city in Ephraim, near Tseredah's general area.
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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