Original Word: תִּמְנָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Timnah
Pronunciation: tim-NAH
Phonetic Spelling: (tim-naw')
KJV: Timnah, Timnath, Thimnathah
NASB: Timnah
Word Origin: [from H4487 (מָנָה - appointed)]

1. a portion assigned
2. Timnah, the name of two places in Israel

Timnah, Timnath, Thimnathah

From manah; a portion assigned; Timnah, the name of two places in Palestine -- Timnah, Timnath, Thimnathah.

see HEBREW manah

Word Origin
from manah
Definition
"territory," two cities in Judah
NASB Translation
Timnah (12).

תִּמְנָה, תִּמְנָ֫תָה proper name, of a location (probably = portion, territory); — (חִמְנָה Joshua 15:10,57; 2Chronicles 28:18; תִּמְנָ֫תֶה [as nominative see GFM^{Judges 14:1}] Joshua 19:43; Judges 14:1,2,5; with ה locative תִּמְנָ֫תָה Genesis 38:12,13,14; Judges 14:1,5; ᵐ5 Θαμνα, Θαμναθα): —

1 place in hill-country of Judah Genesis 38:12,13,14. probably = Joshua 15:57. Site unknown (compare Di^{Genesis 38:12} Rob^{BR ii. 17 n}.).

2 place on border of Judah Joshua 15:10; Joshua 19:43 (assigned to Dan), Judges 14:1 (twice in verse); Judges 14:2,5 (twice in verse); 2Chronicles 28:18. Modern Tibneh, approximately 15 miles south of west from Jerusalem compare Rob^{BR ii.17} Buhl^{Geogr. 196}.

Geographic Setting and Multiple Sites

Timnah designates at least one, and very likely two, towns in the Shephelah—the low-lying Judean foothills that slope toward the coastal plain. One Timnah lay on the border between the tribal territories of Judah and Dan (Joshua 15:10; Joshua 19:43), about four miles south-west of Beth Shemesh (modern Tel Batash). Another Timnah farther south is implied by its pairing with Soko in 2 Chronicles 28:18. Both locations occupied fertile valleys suited for vineyards and flocks, explaining their repeated association with sheep-shearing and viticulture.

Patriarchal Connection (Genesis 38)

Timnah first appears during the lifetime of Judah. “When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah to his sheep shearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite” (Genesis 38:12). The narrative that follows—Judah’s encounter with Tamar—highlights two enduring themes:
• The moral dangers that accompany festive, profit-oriented gatherings such as shearing season.
• The sovereignty of God in preserving the messianic line. By means of the Timnah episode, the promised seed continues through Perez (Genesis 38:29; Ruth 4:18-22; Matthew 1:3).

Allotment in the Promised Land

Under Joshua, Timnah became a border marker of Judah (Joshua 15:10) while another settlement of the same name was allotted to Dan (Joshua 19:43). The dual references underscore God’s faithfulness in distributing the land as He had sworn to the patriarchs. At the same time, they expose Israel’s incomplete obedience, for Timnah in Dan’s lot was never fully wrested from Philistine control.

Timnah in the Life of Samson (Judges 14)

Centuries later Samson “went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman” (Judges 14:1). Three lessons stand out:

1. Compromise: Samson’s attraction to a Philistine bride at Timnah illustrates how easy it is for God’s people to flirt with the world’s allurements when clear boundaries are ignored.
2. Providence: “His father and mother did not know that this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion against the Philistines” (Judges 14:4). Even flawed choices became instruments of divine deliverance.
3. Power and Calling: At “the vineyards of Timnah” (Judges 14:5) the Spirit empowered Samson to tear a young lion, affirming his Nazarite consecration despite his proximity to the fruit of the vine he had vowed to avoid (Numbers 6:3).

Later History and Judgement (2 Chronicles 28:18)

During the reign of the apostate king Ahaz, “the Philistines… captured and occupied Soko, Timnah, and Gimzo, along with their villages” (2 Chronicles 28:18). Timnah’s fall served as a tangible warning that national unfaithfulness invites renewed enemy domination, reversing the victories earlier granted under Joshua and the Judges.

Archaeological Insights

Tel Batash—widely accepted as biblical Timnah—has yielded Late Bronze and Iron Age remains, including fortification walls, olive presses, and large storage jars. These findings corroborate the site’s agricultural wealth and strategic value on the Aijalon-Beth Shemesh route, aligning with its prominence in shepherding, vine-growing, and military movements described in Scripture.

Theological and Ministry Significance

• Boundaries Matter: Whether tribal lines, moral convictions, or covenant vows, crossing God-given limits in Timnah brought heartache to Judah and Samson alike.
• God Overrules Human Failure: Even in Timnah’s episodes of compromise, the Lord advanced His redemptive purposes—from preserving Judah’s lineage to initiating Philistine deliverance through Samson.
• Watchfulness in Seasons of Prosperity: Sheep-shearing and vintage seasons were times of celebration and profit; they also bred temptation. Timnah cautions believers to remain vigilant when success and festivity abound.
• Corporate Faithfulness: Timnah’s eventual loss under Ahaz underscores that collective sin invites collective consequences, urging the Church today to corporate repentance and steadfastness.

Key References for Study

Genesis 38:12-14; Joshua 15:10, 15:57; Joshua 19:43; Judges 14:1-5; 2 Chronicles 28:18

בְּתִמְנָ֖תָה בְתִמְנָ֖תָה בתמנתה וְתִמְנָ֑ה וְתִמְנָ֖תָה ותמנה ותמנתה תִּמְנָ֑תָה תִּמְנָ֣ה תִּמְנָֽה׃ תִּמְנָֽתָה׃ תִמְנָ֔תָה תִמְנָ֖תָה תמנה תמנה׃ תמנתה תמנתה׃ bə·ṯim·nā·ṯāh ḇə·ṯim·nā·ṯāh betimNatah bəṯimnāṯāh ḇəṯimnāṯāh tim·nā·ṯāh ṯim·nā·ṯāh tim·nāh timNah timnāh timNatah timnāṯāh ṯimnāṯāh vetimNah vetimNatah wə·ṯim·nā·ṯāh wə·ṯim·nāh wəṯimnāh wəṯimnāṯāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts