עִיר שָׁ֑מֶשׁ (ir she.mesh)

ir she.mesh

Ir-shemesh

H5905 · Hebrew · Old Testament · 1 verses

N:N--L

Language: Biblical Hebrew
Testament: Old Testament
Occurrences: 1 verses
Root: —
Part of speech: N:N--L

Word Overview

The place name Ir-shemesh translates directly to "city of the sun" or "city of the sun-god." It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, listed among the fortified towns assigned to the tribe of Dan in Joshua 19:41.

Lexical sources identify this as a variant spelling for Beth-shemesh, which means "house of the sun." The difference lies in the first word: ir denotes a city or urban center, while bet refers to a house or dwelling. This single textual variation highlights how ancient scribes recorded geographic names with slight phonetic or orthographic differences while referring to the same location.

The meaning itself reflects the cultural landscape of the region, where local deities were often associated with celestial bodies. By including this city in the tribal allotment, the text marks it as part of Israel’s inheritance, regardless of its earlier pagan associations or name origins.

Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).

What This Word Means for Your Faith

The name Ir-shemesh means “city of the sun,” once tied to a pagan god. In Joshua 19:41 it appears as a boundary town assigned to Dan. The old name stayed, but now it belonged to God’s people. The land did not need a new name before it could be given.

That quiet inclusion offers hope. You may have chapters that feel far from anything holy. Yet God does not ask you to erase them. He receives the whole story and sets it inside His own. The place that once pointed to the sun ended up simply part of Israel’s inheritance, and that was enough.

How it's translated

How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.

and/ Ir-1×
Shemesh1×

Forms in the text

The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.

שָֽׁמֶשׁ\׃1×
וְ/עִ֥יר1×

Key Verses

Joshua 19:41
The border of their inheritance was Zorah, Eshtaol, Irshemesh,

The sole occurrence: the town is listed in Dan’s allotment, showing that a place with a sun-god’s name became part of Israel’s promised land.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Ir-shemesh mean?

Ir-shemesh is Hebrew for “city of the sun.” It occurs only in Joshua 19:41 as a town given to the tribe of Dan. The name likely reflects pre-Israelite worship of a sun god, but the biblical text records it without comment, simply as part of the land God assigned.

How is Ir-shemesh different from Beth-shemesh?

Both names refer to the same location. Ir-shemesh means “city of the sun,” while Beth-shemesh means “house of the sun.” The difference is a variation in the first word—city (ir) versus house (bet)—and both forms appear in the Hebrew Bible for the same town.

Why include a town named after a sun-god in Israel’s inheritance?

God frequently gave Israel land that had earlier ties to other religions. Including Ir-shemesh did not mean adopting its former worship; it meant the land, whatever its past name, was now part of the promise. The town was simply absorbed into the story of God’s faithfulness.

Every Occurrence (1 verses across 1 books)

Joshua 1 verse

Joshua 19:41

The border of their inheritance was Zorah, Eshtaol, Irshemesh,