עֻמָּה

Ummah, a place in Palestine

Definition

Ummah is a proper noun referring to a specific location in ancient Palestine. It appears only once in the Old Testament, listed among the cities allotted to the tribe of Asher in Joshua 19:30. The text describes it as part of the territory's inheritance, but its exact geographical location remains uncertain to modern scholars. As a place name, it carries no other distinct meanings or senses in the biblical text beyond its identification as a town within the tribal allotment.

Biblical Usage

The word 'Ummah' is used exclusively in Joshua 19:30, within a list of cities given to the tribe of Asher. The context is purely geographical and administrative, detailing the boundaries and settlements of the tribal inheritance after the conquest of Canaan. There are no patterns of usage, as it is a single-occurrence proper noun.

Etymology

The name 'Ummah' is derived from the same Hebrew root (עמם) as the common noun 'ammah' (H5980), which means 'association,' 'people,' or 'community.' As a place name, it likely signified a settlement or gathering place. It is linguistically related to the more common word 'am' (H5971), meaning 'people,' suggesting a location named for its communal or populated character.

Semantic Range

As a place name in an ancient tribal boundary list, 'Ummah' reflects the Israelite practice of defining territory through specific towns and landmarks. Its inclusion in Joshua 19 underscores the fulfillment of God's promise to allocate the land of Canaan to the tribes of Israel. The uncertainty of its exact location today highlights the historical distance between the biblical world and modern geography.

Ir (H5892) — A more general term for 'city' or 'town,' whereas Ummah is a specific place name. Qereth (H7017) — Another term for a town or city, but not a synonym for this specific location.

Word Details

Scripture References