{
  "id": "dict_002808",
  "term": "Ithnan",
  "slug": "ithnan",
  "letter": "I",
  "entry_type": "biblical_place_name",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "A biblical town listed among the towns of Judah in the Old Testament.",
  "simple_one_line": "Ithnan is a town named in Judah’s inheritance list in Joshua.",
  "tooltip_text": "An Old Testament place name; a town listed in Judah’s territory.",
  "aliases": [],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "Judah",
    "Joshua",
    "Tribal allotments",
    "Inheritance (land)"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "Carmel",
    "Ziph",
    "Telem",
    "Bealoth"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "Ithnan is a small biblical place name found in Judah’s town list in Joshua. Scripture names it, but does not develop it into a major theological theme.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "A town in the tribal allotment of Judah, mentioned in Joshua 15.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "Biblical place name",
    "part of Judah’s inheritance list",
    "location not securely identified",
    "not a theological concept in itself."
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "Ithnan is a biblical place name listed among the towns allotted to the tribe of Judah in the Old Testament.",
  "description_academic_full": "Ithnan is the name of a town included in the list of Judah’s inherited territory in Joshua 15. The biblical text identifies it as part of Judah’s settlement pattern, but gives no extended narrative, doctrinal teaching, or historical detail about the place. For that reason, it is best treated as a geographical entry rather than as a theological term.",
  "background_biblical_context": "Joshua records Ithnan among the towns in the southern hill country of Judah. The mention contributes to the larger picture of Israel’s tribal inheritance and settlement under God’s covenant promises.",
  "background_historical_context": "Beyond its appearance in the Judah town list, Scripture does not preserve further historical detail about Ithnan. Its exact location has not been securely identified.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "As with many minor biblical place names, Ithnan would have been understood as part of the inherited land of Judah and the covenant geography of Israel, even though little else is known about it.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "Joshua 15:23"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "Joshua 15:20-63"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "Hebrew place name; the meaning is uncertain.",
  "theological_significance": "Ithnan has little direct theological content, but it supports the biblical theme that God’s covenant promises were worked out in real places and historical boundaries.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "This is a concrete geographic referent rather than an abstract idea. Its value lies in historical and canonical context, not in doctrinal symbolism.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "Do not overinterpret Ithnan or assign it symbolic meaning the text does not provide. Its exact site is uncertain, and Scripture does not develop it beyond a town name.",
  "major_views_note": "There is no major doctrinal debate about Ithnan. The only common issue is the uncertainty of its modern identification and location.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "Ithnan should be treated as a historical-biblical place name, not as a doctrine, symbol, or test case for theology.",
  "practical_significance": "It reminds readers that biblical revelation is grounded in real history and geography, even in brief town lists.",
  "meta_description": "Ithnan is a biblical town listed among the towns of Judah in Joshua 15.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/ithnan/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/ithnan.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}