צִדִּים

Tsiddim (with the article), a place in Palestine

Definition

Tsiddim is a proper noun referring to a fortified city in the territory allotted to the tribe of Naphtali (Joshua 19:35). The name, meaning 'sides' or 'flanks,' likely describes its geographical location, perhaps on the slopes or sides of a hill. It is listed among the cities of Naphtali, which were known for their strategic and defensive importance in the northern region of Israel. The single biblical reference provides no further narrative detail about events at this specific location.

Biblical Usage

The word צִדִּים (Tsiddîym) is used only once in the Old Testament, in Joshua 19:35. It appears in a list of fortified cities within the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali. Its usage is purely geographical and administrative, serving to define the tribal boundaries as recorded in the conquest and settlement narratives of the book of Joshua.

Etymology

The word is the plural form of the Hebrew noun צַד (tsad, H6654), meaning 'side' or 'flank.' As a place name, it is a straightforward toponym derived from a common noun describing a physical feature, likely the sloping sides of a hill or mountain where the city was situated.

Semantic Range

As a fortified city in Naphtali, Tsiddim was part of a network of defensive settlements in the volatile northern frontier of ancient Israel. Its inclusion in a tribal boundary list reflects the Israelite practice of defining tribal identities and responsibilities through specific geographic allotments, a key aspect of their covenant-based settlement in the Promised Land.

None directly applicable for a proper place name.

Word Details

Scripture References