קִרְיַת־סֵ֫פֶר (qir.yat san.nah)
qir.yat san.nah
Kiriath-sannah
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The name Qiryat-sepher translates to "city of the book" or "city of writing." It appears in the Hebrew Bible as a specific town located in the mountainous region of Judah, situated west of Hebron. The text identifies this location with another well-known place called Debir, indicating they are two names for the same settlement.
This designation is unique among biblical place names because it explicitly references literacy or record-keeping. Its five occurrences across Joshua and Judges highlight its role in the narrative of Israel’s territorial conquests. The name suggests a center of administrative activity or learning within the tribal lands, distinguishing it from other towns named after geographical features or ancestors.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Kiriath-sannah, meaning 'city of the book,' stands out in the biblical landscape. It appears not as a fortress of war, but as a center of record-keeping or learning within the tribe of Judah. This detail reminds us that God’s people have always valued knowledge and order alongside faith.
When Caleb offered his daughter to whoever could take this city, he was not just seeking land; he was engaging with a place of significance. The text links it closely to Debir, showing how names and histories shift over time. For us, this suggests that our spiritual journey involves both action and understanding.
We serve a God who writes His laws and keeps records of our lives. This word invites us to value wisdom and truth in our daily walk, knowing that every step we take is seen and recorded by Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Sepher4×
- [was] Kiriath2×
- Kiriath2×
- and/ Kiriath1×
- Sannah1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קִרְיַת\־4×
- סֵֽפֶר\׃2×
- סֵ֖פֶר2×
- סַנָּ֖ה1×
- וְ/קִרְיַת\־1×
Key Verses
-
Joshua 15:15
He went up against the inhabitants of Debir: now the name of Debir before was Kiriath Sepher.
This verse establishes the identity of Kiriath-sannah as the former name of Debir, linking a place of learning to the broader narrative of conquest.
-
Joshua 15:16
Caleb said, “He who strikes Kiriath Sepher, and takes it, to him I will give Achsah my daughter as wife.”
Caleb’s offer here highlights the strategic importance of the city and his personal commitment to its capture.
-
Judges 1:12
Caleb said, “I will give Achsah my daughter as wife to the man who strikes Kiriath Sepher, and takes it.”
This repetition in Judges reinforces Caleb’s enduring faith and the continued significance of the city in Israel’s history.