Hebrew word · H6932

קְדֵמוֹת

kedemot

Kedemoth

A place name, almost certainly built on qedem, 'front, east, ancient times'. In the plural it would mean 'eastern places' or 'the regions to the east'. That fits a town on the eastern edge of settled land, facing the desert.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

§ Kedemoth = "eastern"

one of the towns in the district east of the Dead Sea allotted to the tribe of Reuben and given to the Merarite Levites

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 1 Chronicles 6:79

Range of meaning

A place name, almost certainly built on qedem, 'front, east, ancient times'. In the plural it would mean 'eastern places' or 'the regions to the east'. That fits a town on the eastern edge of settled land, facing the desert.

Against the English

All versions simply transliterate it as 'Kedemoth'. The name's meaning, 'eastward', is lost in English but would have been obvious to a Hebrew hearer.

Used elsewhere in the period

Joshua 13:18 assigns it to Reuben. Joshua 21:37 gives it to the Merarite Levites. Deuteronomy 2:26 names the 'wilderness of Kedemoth', from which Moses sent envoys to Sihon of Heshbon. Its exact site is uncertain; proposals include sites near the upper Arnon such as Qasr ez-Za'faran or es-Saliyeh.

From the study of Joshua 21:37

Range of meaning

Place name. Probably 'eastern places' or 'places in front', from qedem (east, front, ancient times).

Against the English

Every version transliterates it.

Used elsewhere in the period

Deut 2:26 (the 'wilderness of Kedemoth', where Israel sent messengers to Sihon); Josh 13:18; 1 Chr 6:79 (Hebrew 6:64). The site is uncertain. Suggestions include sites near the upper Wadi Mujib (the Arnon), such as Qasr ez-Zaʿfaran or ʿAliya.

From the study of Deuteronomy 2:26

Range of meaning

A place name, probably from qedem, "east, front, ancient times": "eastern places" or "places of the east."

Against the English

All versions simply transliterate it as "Kedemoth." The meaning of the name is not lost in any important way, though Jewish interpreters did build on it (see debates).

Used elsewhere in the period

Allotted to Reuben (Josh 13:18) and made a Levitical city (Josh 21:37; 1 Chr 6:79 Eng. / 6:64 Heb.). Proposed sites in central Jordan north of the Arnon include Qasr ez-Za'faran and Aleiyan. None is certain.

Where it appears

Deuteronomy · 1

  1. Deuteronomy 2:26 קְדֵמ֔וֹת Kedemoth

    So from the Wilderness of Kedemoth I sent messengers with an offer of peace to Sihon king of Heshbon, saying,

    Here: A town and its surrounding steppe north of the Arnon gorge. It was later assigned to the tribe of Reuben and became a Levitical city (Josh 13:18; 21:37; 1 Chr 6:79). The name probably means "eastern places." Its exact site is uncertain.

Joshua · 1

  1. Joshua 13:18 וּקְדֵמֹ֖ת and Kedemoth

    Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,

    Here: "And" plus Kedemoth, a name built on qedem, "east, front." It probably means something like "eastern places." The town sat toward the desert edge and gave its name to the "wilderness of Kedemoth," from which Moses sent envoys to Sihon (Deuteronomy 2:26).

1 Chronicles · 1

  1. 1 Chronicles 6:79 קְדֵמוֹת֙ Kedemoth

    Kedemoth, and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands.

    Here: A town east of the Dead Sea in the territory given to Reuben. The name probably means 'eastern places' or 'places of the east'. The wilderness around it is where Moses sent envoys to King Sihon (Deuteronomy 2:26).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.