Bible Word Study
טוֹב
Ṭôwb · Tob, a region apparently East of the Jordan
טוֹב
Tob, a region apparently East of the Jordan
Definition
Tob is a proper noun referring to a region located east of the Jordan River, likely in or near the territory of Gilead. It is best known as the place where Jephthah fled after being expelled by his brothers (Judges 11:3) and where he gathered a band of 'worthless men' before being recalled to lead Israel against the Ammonites (Judges 11:5). The region also appears in the context of international conflict, as it was the homeland of troops hired by the Ammonites to fight against King David (2 Samuel 10:6, 8). Its exact location remains uncertain, but it was a distinct territory outside direct Israelite control during the periods of the judges and the united monarchy.
Biblical Usage
The word Tob is used exclusively as a geographical proper noun in the Old Testament. All four occurrences are in narrative contexts within the books of Judges and 2 Samuel. It describes a specific region that served as a refuge for an outcast (Jephthah) and later as a source of mercenary soldiers for Israel's enemies. The usage pattern shows it was a known, independent territory on the eastern frontier, interacting with both Israelite and Ammonite powers.
Etymology
Tob (טוֹב) is identical to the common Hebrew adjective ṭôwb (H2896), meaning 'good, pleasant, or favorable.' As a place name, it likely originated as a descriptive term for the land's quality ('the good land') or was intended to denote a favorable or pleasant region. This practice of naming locations after positive attributes is common in Semitic languages.
Semantic Range
In its cultural context, Tob represents a frontier region beyond the settled territories of Israel. Such areas were often havens for social outcasts, fugitives, and freebooters, as seen with Jephthah. Its ability to supply mercenaries indicates it was a politically independent district or small kingdom, typical of the volatile Transjordanian landscape during the Iron Age. Its name ('good') may reflect its agricultural fertility or its reputation as a safe haven. There are no direct Hebrew synonyms for this proper noun. As a place name, it is unique.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]