שָׁרוּחֶ֑ן (sha.ru.chen)
sha.ru.chen
Sharuhen
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
Sharuhen is a place name found only once in the Hebrew Bible, listed in Joshua 19:6 as one of the cities assigned to the tribe of Simeon within the territory of Judah. The traditional etymology offered by sources interprets the components as meaning "refuge of grace," though this is a linguistic reconstruction rather than a description of the city’s actual function or history.
Because the word appears in a genealogical and territorial list, it carries no narrative weight or theological instruction on its own. It serves simply to mark the boundaries of Simeon’s inheritance, grounding the abstract promise of land in a specific, named location. The name itself does not appear elsewhere in Scripture, so its meaning is derived entirely from this single contextual mention.
Translators typically leave such names untranslated, preserving Sharuhen as a proper noun to maintain historical continuity with the ancient text. For modern readers, it represents one of many small settlements that formed the fabric of Israel’s tribal allotments, reminding us that the biblical narrative is rooted in real geography and specific communities.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Sharuhen appears in a single verse within the book of Joshua, serving as one of the thirteen cities assigned to the tribe of Simeon. While it does not feature in any narrative or carry direct theological instruction, its presence grounds the biblical story in real geography. This list reminds us that God’s promises were fulfilled in specific, tangible locations where actual people lived and worked.
For your faith, this detail offers comfort in the reliability of Scripture. The careful recording of such small settlements shows that God cares about the details of human life and community. It is not just a map marker but evidence of a faithful covenant kept across generations. You can trust that the same God who guided Israel into their inheritance is present in your own specific circumstances.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ Sharuhen1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/שָֽׁרוּחֶ֑ן1×
Key Verses
-
Joshua 19:6
Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities with their villages;
This verse lists Sharuhen as part of the tribal allotment for Simeon, demonstrating how the promise of land was distributed among specific families and communities.