Lebonah

At a Glance

A biblical place-name near Shiloh, used in Judges as part of a geographic description.

Key Points

• Appears in Judges 21:19
• Functions as a geographic marker, not a doctrine term
• Its exact modern identification is uncertain.

Description

Lebonah is an Old Testament place-name named in Judges 21:19 as part of the geographic description of the area near Shiloh. In the narrative, it helps locate the road and surrounding landmarks used in the account of Israel during the period of the judges. Scripture does not develop Lebonah as a theological concept; it functions as a real place-name within the historical geography of the biblical text. Because of that, the term belongs with biblical place entries rather than theological terms.

Biblical Context

In Judges 21:19, Lebonah is used to describe the setting near Shiloh, helping readers visualize the route and landmarks in the closing chapters of Judges.

Historical Context

Lebonah was likely a small settlement or landmark in the central hill country of Israel. Its precise modern location is not certain, but its biblical use is clear as a geographical reference point.

Jewish and Ancient Context

Ancient readers would have recognized Lebonah as part of the local landscape around Shiloh and the surrounding highlands, where roads and village landmarks helped identify locations.

Primary Key Texts

• Judges 21:19

Secondary Key Texts

• No other text confidently establishes Lebonah as a major biblical reference.

Original Language Note

The Hebrew form is לְבֹנָה (Lebonah). The name may be related to a word meaning "frankincense," though the biblical text uses it here as a place-name.

Theological Significance

Lebonah has no direct doctrinal meaning, but it contributes to the historical and geographical realism of Judges and helps anchor the narrative in real places.

Philosophical Explanation

Lebonah is best understood as a referential proper noun: it identifies a location rather than expressing an abstract idea. Its value lies in narrative specificity, not theological symbolism.

Interpretive Cautions

The exact modern site of Lebonah is uncertain. It should not be treated as a theological term or pressed into symbolic interpretations that the text does not support.

Major Views

Scholars generally treat Lebonah as a local place-name or landmark in the hill country near Shiloh; the main uncertainty concerns its precise identification on the modern map.

Doctrinal Boundaries

Do not read Lebonah as a doctrinal concept, spiritual metaphor, or proof-text for unrelated theological claims. Its biblical role is geographic and narrative.

Practical Significance

Lebonah reminds readers that Scripture is rooted in real geography and historical settings. Even minor place-names can help illuminate the flow of biblical narrative.

Related Entries

• Shiloh
• Judges
• Benjamin
• Bethel
• Shechem

See Also

• Biblical places
• Historical geography
• Judges 21