יָנוּם (ya.nim)
ya.nim
Janim
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The name Yānûm refers to a specific town located in the mountainous region of Judah, situated near Hebron. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, within the list of fortified cities assigned to the tribe of Judah in Joshua 15:53. The text identifies it as part of the hill country inheritance, marking its place in the territorial distribution following the conquest.
Etymologically, the name is generally understood to mean "asleep" or "sleeping." This meaning likely reflects a local characteristic, perhaps describing the town’s quiet location or a specific geographical feature known to the inhabitants. While the word itself carries this semantic weight, its biblical usage is strictly topographical, serving as a proper noun rather than a descriptive term for rest.
Manuscript variations exist for this entry, with some texts reading Yānîm instead of Yānûm. Despite these minor textual differences, the identification remains consistent across sources as a distinct settlement in southern Judah. The word’s significance lies entirely in its role as a marker of ancient geography, anchoring the narrative of tribal allotments to a real place on the map.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Yānûm appears in Scripture as a proper noun, identifying a specific town in the hill country of Judah near Hebron. Though its etymological root suggests "sleeping," the biblical text uses it strictly to mark a location within the tribal allotments recorded in Joshua 15:53. This single mention anchors the narrative of Israel’s inheritance to a real, physical place on the ancient map.
For your faith, this detail reminds us that God’s promises are grounded in history and geography. The same God who guided the tribes to their specific territories is mindful of every corner of the earth. Even names that seem obscure or quiet point to His careful provision and order in fulfilling His word.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ Janum1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/יָנ֥וּם1×
Key Verses
-
Joshua 15:53
Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah,
This verse lists Janim among the fortified cities of Judah, confirming its role as a tangible marker of tribal inheritance rather than a metaphorical concept.