יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם
Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
Definition
Jerusalem is the central holy city of Israel, serving as the political and religious capital throughout much of the Old Testament. The name is often understood to mean 'foundation of peace' or 'possession of peace,' reflecting its intended divine purpose. In the biblical narrative, it is first mentioned as the city of the Jebusites (Joshua 10:1) before being conquered by David and established as the royal city and the site of the Temple (2 Samuel 5:6-9). Prophetic literature also speaks of a future, idealized 'New Jerusalem' representing God's ultimate reign (Isaiah 65:18-19, Zechariah 8:3).
Biblical Usage
The name Jerusalem appears nearly 600 times across nearly all Old Testament books, with heavy concentration in the historical books (Samuel, Kings, Chronicles), the Psalms, and the Prophets (especially Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel). It is used to denote the physical city, its inhabitants, and, by metonymy, the entire nation of Judah. In poetic and prophetic contexts, it is often personified, especially in Lamentations where it is portrayed as a grieving widow (Lamentations 1:8).
Etymology
The Hebrew יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yerushalayim) is a dual form, likely referencing the city's two main hills (e.g., Zion and Moriah). It is probably a combination of the passive participle of יָרָה (yarah, 'to throw, found') and שָׁלַם (shalam, 'to be complete, safe, at peace'), yielding the meaning 'foundation of peace.' An alternative, shorter form יְרוּשָׁלֵם (Yerushalem, H3390) appears rarely, supporting this derivation.
Semantic Range
Jerusalem is profoundly significant as the city God chose for His name to dwell (1 Kings 11:36) and the location of the Temple, the center of worship. It symbolizes God's covenant presence with His people, the Davidic monarchy, and the focus of prophetic hope for restoration and ultimate peace. Understanding its name as 'foundation of peace' contrasts with its often-violent history, pointing to its eschatological destiny as the center of God's kingdom (Isaiah 2:2-4).
In the ancient Near East, a capital city was not just a political center but the religious and symbolic heart of the nation, representing the patron deity's dwelling. For Israel, Jerusalem's unique status as Yahweh's chosen city (Deuteronomy 12:5) set it apart from other Canaanite city-states. Its conquest by David transformed it from a Jebusite stronghold into the unifying capital of the united monarchy and the sole legitimate place for sacrificial worship.
צִיּוֹן (Tsiyyown, H6726) — Zion, often a poetic and prophetic synonym for Jerusalem, specifically emphasizing its spiritual and redemptive significance as God's dwelling place. יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Judah, the tribe and kingdom, sometimes used metonymically for Jerusalem as its capital. עִיר הַקֹּדֶשׁ ('iyr haqqodesh) — 'the holy city,' a descriptive title used in later prophetic texts (e.g., Isaiah 48:2, Nehemiah 11:1).
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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