Bible Word Study
יַבְנֶה
Yabneh · Jabneh, a place in Palestine
יַבְנֶה
Jabneh, a place in Palestine
Definition
Yabneh (Jabneh) is a proper noun referring to a Philistine city located on the coastal plain of ancient Palestine, near the Mediterranean Sea. It is mentioned in the context of King Uzziah's military campaigns, where he broke down its walls (2 Chronicles 26:6). Historically, after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, it became a significant center for Jewish scholarship and the seat of the Sanhedrin, though this later development is not recorded in the biblical text. The single biblical reference presents it as a fortified Philistine settlement conquered by Judah.
Biblical Usage
The word Yabneh is used only once in the Old Testament, in 2 Chronicles 26:6. It appears in a military context as one of the Philistine cities (alongside Gath and Ashdod) whose walls were destroyed by King Uzziah of Judah during a period of national strength and expansion. Its usage is strictly as a geographical proper noun identifying a specific location.
Etymology
Yabneh derives from the Hebrew root בָּנָה (bānâ, H1129), meaning 'to build.' The name likely means 'He (God) builds' or 'building,' suggesting it was an established, constructed settlement. This etymology is shared with related place names and personal names built on the same productive root.
Semantic Range
While the word itself is a place name, its single biblical occurrence in 2 Chronicles 26:6 is theologically significant as part of a narrative demonstrating God's blessing on a faithful king. Uzziah's success, including the conquest of Jabneh, is directly linked to his obedience to God (2 Chronicles 26:5). The event illustrates the theme of divine empowerment for national defense and expansion under righteous leadership, a key concept in the Chronicler's history. In its biblical context, Yabneh was a Philistine city, representing one of the traditional enemies of Israel situated on the coastal plain. Its fortifications (walls) indicate it was a significant military and administrative center. The conquest by Judah's king signified a reversal of Philistine dominance and a projection of Judahite power, which would have been a notable cultural and political achievement for the kingdom. None directly synonymous as a proper noun. Geographically related terms include Philistine city names like: עַשְׁדּוֹד (Ashdod, H795) — another major Philistine city conquered by Uzziah; גַּת (Gath, H1661) — a prominent Philistine city often mentioned in conflict with Israel.
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]