Original Word: אֶלְתּוֹלַד
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Eltowlad
Pronunciation: el-to-LAD
Phonetic Spelling: (el-to-lad')
KJV: Eltolad
NASB: Eltolad
Word Origin: [probably from H410 (אֵל - God) and a masculine form of H8435 (תּוֹלְדָה תּוֹלְדָה - generations)]

1. God (is) generator
2. Eltolad, a place in Israel

Eltolad

Probably from 'el and a masculine form of towldah (compare Towlad); God (is) generator; Eltolad, a place in Palestine -- Eltolad.

see HEBREW 'el

see HEBREW towldah

see HEBREW Towlad

Word Origin
from el and yalad
Definition
"God is generator," a city in S. Judah
NASB Translation
Eltolad (2).

אֶלְתּוֺלַד proper name, of a location (compare תּוֺלַד below ילד) city in southern Judah Joshua 15:30; Joshua 19:4; compare also תּוֺלָ֑ד (q. v.) 1 Chronicles 4:29.

Name and Meaning

Eltolad suggests the idea of God bringing forth or giving birth, an etymology that highlights the Lord’s sovereignty over both creation and covenant history. Though terse in Scripture, the name quietly underscores the divine initiative behind Israel’s establishment in the land.

Geographical Setting

Located in the southern reaches of Canaan, Eltolad belonged to the Negev—a semi-arid expanse south of the hill country of Judah. Its neighboring sites form a north-to-south string of settlements (Chesil, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazor Shual, and others) that guarded caravan routes linking the hill country with the wilderness of Zin and the approaches to Egypt. Modern proposals place it near Tell Khirbet el-Tuwalid or within the drainage of Wadi es-Sebāʿ, though definitive identification awaits further excavation.

Biblical References

1. Joshua 15:30 lists Eltolad among the towns “as far as Baalath-beer and Ramah of the Negev.”
2. Joshua 19:4 repeats the name when Simeon received territory “within the inheritance of Judah.”

Historical Context

Joshua’s first catalogue (Joshua 15) records Judah’s inheritance immediately after the conquest. The second catalogue (Joshua 19) shows that Judah’s southern allotment proved more than the tribe could cultivate, allowing Simeon to share in cities “set in the midst of Judah’s territory.” The two lists, therefore, trace a peaceful intratribal redistribution of land—an early witness to cooperative life under the covenant.

Tribal Allotment and Administrative Changes

• Initially Judahite (Joshua 15:30).
• Reassigned or co-occupied by Simeon (Joshua 19:4).
• Later Old Testament administrative lists omit Eltolad, suggesting that by the monarchy smaller Negev settlements were absorbed into larger district centers such as Beersheba or Ziklag.

Spiritual and Ministry Lessons

• God notices the “little places.” Though Scripture grants Eltolad only two verses, its inclusion testifies that every community, however small, has a role in the unfolding redemptive story.
• Covenant unity over tribal pride. Judah’s willingness to share the Negev with Simeon models Paul’s later exhortation: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).
• Divine fulfillment of promise. The accurate cataloguing of towns like Eltolad proves that the land promise to Abraham reached tangible, surveyable fulfillment (Genesis 15:18-21).

Archaeological and Scholarly Notes

Archaeologists have found Iron Age pottery and domestic architecture in multiple Negev tells that fit the size and period of Eltolad. Although none has been conclusively labeled, the clustering of similar sites confirms the book of Joshua’s depiction of a network of small agrarian outposts functioning as both ranch settlements and watch stations along trade arteries.

Prophetic and Theological Connections

The meaning of the name (“God brings forth”) foreshadows prophetic assurances that the Lord will yet “bring forth righteousness” in Zion (Isaiah 62:1). In New Testament reflection, the theme culminates in the incarnation, where in Bethlehem—also a Judahite town of modest fame—God literally brings forth the Messiah (Luke 2:6-7).

Key Themes for Preaching and Teaching

1. Divine attention to detail: every believer and every congregation counts.
2. Partnership among tribes: the church’s call to collaborative mission.
3. Faith’s geography: how physical places anchor spiritual promises.

וְאֶלְתּוֹלַ֥ד ואלתולד veeltoLad wə’eltōwlaḏ wə·’el·tō·w·laḏInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts