Atomic Bible

Canaanite city associated with Judah and Dan

Timnah

Named in 10 verses across 4 books, first in Genesis 38:12.

תִּמְנָהTimnah

תִּמְנִיTimnite

Also called Timnite.

The name means “forbidding.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869

About Timnah Written by AI

Timnah was a Canaanite city located on the border between the territories of Judah and Dan. It is first mentioned in the story of Judah and Tamar, where Judah's son Er was married to Tamar (Gen. 38:12-14). Later, during the conquest of Canaan, Timnah was allocated to the tribe of Dan (Josh. 19:43) but was also mentioned as part of Judah's territory (Josh. 15:10). In the time of the judges, Samson went down to Timnah and fell in love with a Philistine woman, whom he desired to marry (Judg. 14:1-5). The city was later captured by the Philistines during the reign of King Ahaz of Judah (2Chr. 28:18). Timnah was situated in the Sorek Valley, known for its fertile land and strategic location on trade routes. The Timnites are mentioned in Judges 15:6 as the people of the Philistine city of Timnah. Samson, one of the judges of Israel, had married a Philistine woman from Timnah. However, during the wedding feast, Samson posed a riddle to the Philistine guests, which they could not solve. They threatened Samson's wife to reveal the answer, which she did. In anger, Samson killed thirty Philistine men and left his wife. Later, when Samson attempted to visit his wife, he discovered that her father had given her to another man. In revenge, Samson burned the Philistines' fields, vineyards, and olive groves. The Timnites retaliated by burning Samson's wife and her father to death. This escalated the conflict between Samson and the Philistines.

Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.

Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897

This entry is on the name Timnah, and may cover more than one person or place by that name.

A portion. (1.) A town of Judah (Josh. 15:10). The Philistines took possession of it in the days of Ahaz (2 Chr. 28:18). It was about 20 miles west of Jerusalem. It has been identified with Timnatha of Dan (Josh. 19:43), and also with Timnath (Judg. 14:1,5).

(2.) A city in the mountains of Judah (Josh.15:57)= Tibna near Jeba’.

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(3.) A “duke” or sheik of Edom (Gen. 36:40).

M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.

31.784, 34.910 See it on a map

GenesisMatthewRevelation

Where the Bible names it

  1. Genesis 38:12

    After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had finished mourning, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah.

  2. Genesis 38:13

    When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,”

  3. Genesis 38:14

    she removed her widow’s garments, covered her face with a veil to disguise herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that although Shelah had grown up, she had not been given to him as a wife.

  4. Joshua 15:10

    The border curled westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), went down to Beth-shemesh, and crossed to Timnah.

  5. Joshua 19:43

    Elon, Timnah, Ekron,

  6. Judges 14:1

    One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman.

  7. Judges 14:2

    So he returned and told his father and mother, “I have seen a daughter of the Philistines in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.”

  8. Judges 14:5

    Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Suddenly a young lion came roaring at him,

  9. Judges 15:6

    “Who did this?” the Philistines demanded. “It was Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite,” they were told. “For his wife was given to his companion.” So the Philistines went up and burned her and her father to death.

  10. 2 Chronicles 28:18

    The Philistines had also raided the cities of the foothills and the Negev of Judah, capturing and occupying Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, and Gederoth, as well as Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo with their villages.

From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.