1 Kings 9:18
"And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,"

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

And Baalath,.... A city in the tribe of Dan, Jos 19:44 . and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land; or "Tamar", as in the Cetib, or Scriptural reading; for we go according to the marginal reading, and so Thamato in Ptolemy (p); and is thought by some to be the same with Tamar in Eze 47:19 , which Jerom there says is Palmyra. Tamar signifies a palm tree, from whence this city had its name Palmyra, the situation of which

place agrees with this; hence we read both in Ptolemy (q) and Pliny (r) of the Palmyrene deserts: the ruins of it are to be seen to this day, and of it this account is given; that it is enclosed on three sides with long ridges of mountains, which open towards the east gradually, to the distance of about an hour's riding; but to the south stretches a vast plain, beyond the reach of the eye; the air is good, but the soil exceeding barren; nothing green to be seen therein, save some few palm trees in the gardens, and here and there about the town; and from these trees, I conceive, says my author, it obtained its name both in Hebrew and in Latin: it appears to have been of a large extent, by the space now taken up by the ruins; but there are no footsteps of any wall remaining, nor is it possible to judge of the ancient figure of the place. The present inhabitants, as they are poor, miserable, dirty people, so they have shut themselves up, to the number of about thirty or forty families, in little huts made of dirt, within the walls of a spacious court, which enclosed a most magnificent Heathen temple (s). Benjamin of Tudela says (t), it is situated in a wilderness, far from any habitable place, and is four days' journey from Baalath before mentioned; which place he takes to be the same with Baalbek, in the valley of Lebanon, built by Solomon for Pharaoh's daughter; which, according to the Arabic geographer (u), was situated at the foot of Mount Lebanon; and Tadmor seems to be in the land of Hamathzobah, Ch2 8:3 . (p) Geograph. l. 5. c. 16. (q) Ib. c. 15. (r) Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 26. & 6. 28. (s) Halifax apud Philosphic. Transact. vol. 3. p. 504. (t) Itinerar. p. 57, 58. (u) Geograph. Nub. par. 5. clim. 3. p. 117.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (7 words)

H0853 אֵת
Definition:

33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34: 33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34:

Possible Meanings:
  • sign (semantic_range)
H1191 בַּעֲלָת
Definition:

44;1 Kings 9:18; 2Chronicles 8:6, a city of Dan, possiblyBel`aînSurveyii. 296.Topical LexiconCanonical ReferencesJoshua 19:44;1 Kings 9:18;2 Chronicles 8:6Geographical SettingBaalath appears first in 44;1 Kings 9:18; 2Chronicles 8:6, a city of Dan, possiblyBel`aînSurveyii. 296.Topical LexiconCanonical ReferencesJoshua 19:44;1 Kings 9:18;2 Chronicles 8:6Geographical SettingBaalath appears first in

H0853 אֵת
Definition:

33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34: 33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34:

Possible Meanings:
  • sign (semantic_range)
H8559 תָּמָר
Definition:

6,11 (twice in verse);Genesis 38:13,24;1 Chronicles 2:4;Ruth 4:12.b.daughter of David, sister of Absalom2 Samuel 13:1,211t. 13, 2 Chronicles 3:9.c.daughter of Absalom2 Samuel 14:27.2. locationEzekiel 6,11 (twice in verse);Genesis 38:13,24;1 Chronicles 2:4;Ruth 4:12.b.daughter of David, sister of Absalom2 Samuel 13:1,211t. 13, 2 Chronicles 3:9.c.daughter of Absalom2 Samuel 14:27.2. locationEzekiel

Possible Meanings:
  • palm-tree (semantic_range)
  • date-palm (semantic_range)
H8412 תַּדְמֹר
Definition:

18Qr = 2 Chronicles 8:8;Tadmor= Palmyra (RSEncy. Brit.(9) PALMYBA MommsenRöm. Geschichte.see 423, compare LagBN 125); but read in both placesתָּמָרTh RSl.c.Mommsenl.c.Kmp Benz Kit Bur ReckendZMG xiii 18Qr = 2 Chronicles 8:8;Tadmor= Palmyra (RSEncy. Brit.(9) PALMYBA MommsenRöm. Geschichte.see 423, compare LagBN 125); but read in both placesתָּמָרTh RSl.c.Mommsenl.c.Kmp Benz Kit Bur ReckendZMG xiii

H4057 מִדְבָּר
Definition:

Fromdabarin the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. Open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs) -- desert, south, speech, wilderness.see HEBREWda Fromdabarin the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. Open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs) -- desert, south, speech, wilderness.see HEBREWda

Possible Meanings:
  • uninhabited land (semantic_range)
  • large tracts (semantic_range)
H0776 אֶרֶץ
Definition:

11& (seldom)masculineGenesis 13:16earth, land(Phoenician, MIארץ, AssyrianirƒituCOTGloss, Arabic, Sabeanארץֿe.g. Os9DHMZMG 1875, 594, 614; Semitic Sprachf. 12, compare PräBAS i. 374 n., Aramaicאֲרַע,) 11& (seldom)masculineGenesis 13:16earth, land(Phoenician, MIארץ, AssyrianirƒituCOTGloss, Arabic, Sabeanארץֿe.g. Os9DHMZMG 1875, 594, 614; Semitic Sprachf. 12, compare PräBAS i. 374 n., Aramaicאֲרַע,)

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