קִטְרוֹן (qit.ron)
qit.ron
Kitron
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The noun qitron appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Judges 1:30. It identifies a specific location within the territory allotted to the tribe of Zebulun. The lexicons consistently translate the term as "incense," suggesting that the town’s name likely derived from its association with the production or trade of this valuable aromatic substance.
Because the word occurs in such a narrow context, its precise geographical identification remains uncertain among scholars. However, the semantic link to incense provides a concrete clue about the economic character of the settlement. In the ancient Near East, towns named after commodities often served as centers for their manufacture or distribution.
This single reference highlights how place names in Scripture can preserve echoes of local industry and daily life. While Judges 1:30 notes that Zebulun did not drive out the Canaanite inhabitants who lived in these cities, including qitron, the name itself stands as a historical marker of the region's cultural and economic landscape during the period of the judges.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Kitron appears in Judges 1:30 as a place where the tribe of Zebulun failed to fully drive out the local Canaanite population. Lexical studies suggest this name likely means "incense," pointing to a town known for producing or trading valuable aromatic resins. In the ancient world, such names often reflected the primary economic activity of a settlement, turning daily commerce into a lasting geographical marker.
For your faith journey, this detail offers a quiet reminder that God’s promises unfold within real human history. The presence of incense in a Canaanite town connects to the broader biblical theme of worship and sacrifice. While Zebulun struggled with partial obedience, the name itself preserves a snapshot of life in the land. It shows us that even in times of mixed spiritual fidelity, God’s word records the specifics of our world.
Kitron stands as a small but vivid piece of the puzzle. It invites us to look closer at Scripture, seeing how place names and local industries weave into the larger narrative of Israel’s settlement. This attention to detail helps ground our understanding of the biblical text in the tangible realities of ancient life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Kitron1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קִטְר֔וֹן1×
Key Verses
-
Judges 1:30
Zebulun didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites lived among them, and became subject to forced labor.
This verse identifies Kitron as a specific Canaanite city within Zebulun’s territory that remained inhabited, highlighting the tribe's incomplete conquest.