אֶשְׁקְלוֹנִי (esh.qe.lo.ni)
esh.qe.lo.ni
Ashkelonite
N:N--LGQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--LG
Word Overview
The word eshqeloni is a Hebrew adjective meaning "Ashkelonite," used as a noun to describe an inhabitant of the coastal city of Ashkelon. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Joshua 13:3, where it helps define the northern boundary of the land allotted to the tribe of Naphtali.
As a gentilic form derived from the place name Ashkelon, it identifies people by their geographic origin rather than by ethnicity or religion. The sources note that this spelling is a variant of the more common form found elsewhere for residents of that Philistine city-state.
The term carries no inherent theological weight in this context; it serves a purely descriptive function to locate a specific population within the territorial boundaries being surveyed. Its single occurrence highlights the precise nature of the land distribution narrative, anchoring abstract borders to real, named communities.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Ashkelonite appears in Joshua 13:3 as part of a detailed list defining the northern boundary of the land given to Naphtali. This single mention serves a practical purpose, anchoring the abstract concept of tribal inheritance to real, named communities on the ground. It reminds us that God’s promises are not vague ideals but specific realities tied to actual places and people.
For your faith life, this precision offers comfort. The same God who mapped every border with exactness knows the details of your own journey. You do not need to worry about being overlooked or forgotten in His grand plan. His attention to the smallest geographic marker shows He cares deeply about the specifics of your existence.
When you feel uncertain about your place in the world, remember that God’s word is grounded in reality. He invites you to trust in a faith that engages with the real world, not one that floats above it. Rest in the knowledge that your life, like the borders of ancient Israel, is held securely in His hands.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ Ashkelonite[s]1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הָ/אֶשְׁקְלוֹנִ֣י1×
Key Verses
-
Joshua 13:3
from the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even to the border of Ekron northward, which is counted as Canaanite; the five lords of the Philistines; the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avvim,
This verse uses the term to identify a specific Philistine group within the territorial boundaries being defined for Naphtali.