Ether
Where it is
31.81° N, 34.94° E · Located through Ashnah
Mentioned most in
About this place
Ether is mentioned in the Book of Joshua as a city that was allotted to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:42) and later given to the tribe of Simeon as part of their inheritance within Judah's territory (Joshua 19:7).
The city is listed among other cities in the Shephelah, the lowland region between the coastal plain and the Judean hills. In Joshua 15:42, Ether is mentioned alongside Libnah, Ashan, and Ashnah, while in Joshua 19:7, it is listed with Ain, Rimmon, and Tochen as part of Simeon's inheritance.
No other details about Ether are provided in the Bible, and its exact location is unknown. The Shephelah was known for its fertile soil and served as a buffer zone between the Israelites and the Philistines, who occupied the coastal plain.
The mention of Ether in the lists of cities allotted to Judah and Simeon helps to define the extent of their territories and provides insight into the geography of the region during the time of the Israelite conquest and settlement of Canaan.
Every mention
Joshua 2 mentions
What the dictionary says
(abundance), one of the cities of Judah in the low country, the Shefelah , (Joshua 15:42) allotted to Simeon.
Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding · CC BY 4.0 · www.openbible.info/geo/
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain