בְּטֹנִים (be.to.nim)
be.to.nim
Betonim
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The noun betonim refers to pistachio nuts, yet it appears in Scripture as a place name rather than a food item. In Joshua 13:26, it identifies a city located in the territory of Gad, situated east of the Jordan River. This single occurrence anchors the word in the historical geography of Israel’s land distribution.
While the common Hebrew word for pistachio is shaked, betonim likely represents a local dialectal variant or an older form preserved in this specific toponym. The choice of such a name for a city may reflect the region’s agricultural character or simply serve as a distinctive marker in the list of Gadite settlements.
Because the word occurs only once, its meaning is fixed by context: it denotes a physical location rather than the nut itself. Translators consistently render it as "Betonim" to preserve this proper noun status, distinguishing the city from any culinary references that might confuse modern readers.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Betonim appears in Joshua 13:26 as one of the cities assigned to the tribe of Gad. This single mention anchors the word in the historical geography of Israel’s land distribution. It serves as a reminder that God’s promises were not abstract ideas but concrete realities involving specific places and people.
While the Hebrew root relates to pistachio nuts, here it functions purely as a place name. This distinction helps us appreciate the precision of Scripture. The biblical authors cared enough to record these locations, showing that every detail of God’s plan has purpose. For believers today, this encourages trust in God’s faithfulness to fulfill His word exactly as promised.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ Betonim1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וּ/בְטֹנִ֑ים1×
Key Verses
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Joshua 13:26
and from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim to the border of Debir;
This verse lists Betonim among the Gadite cities, confirming its role as a geographical marker in the eastern Jordan territory rather than a reference to food.