Etymology and Meaning:
The term "Jeshimon" is derived from the Hebrew word "יְשִׁימוֹן" (yeshimon), which means "desolation" or "wilderness." It is used in the Bible to describe barren, uninhabited regions, often characterized by their harsh and arid conditions.

Biblical References:
Jeshimon is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, primarily in the context of the Israelites' wilderness wanderings and the geographical descriptions of the land surrounding them.

1. Numbers 21:20 : "and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where the top of Pisgah overlooks the wasteland." Here, Jeshimon is translated as "wasteland," indicating a desolate area visible from the heights of Pisgah.

2. 1 Samuel 23:19 : "Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, 'Is David not hiding among us in the strongholds of Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon?'" In this passage, Jeshimon refers to a specific region south of the hill of Hachilah, where David sought refuge from King Saul.

3. 1 Samuel 26:1-3 : "Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, 'Is David not hiding on the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?' So Saul, accompanied by three thousand choice men of Israel, went down to the Wilderness of Ziph to search for David there. Saul camped beside the road at the hill of Hachilah opposite Jeshimon, but David stayed in the wilderness." This passage again highlights Jeshimon as a geographical marker, emphasizing its role as a boundary or landmark in the pursuit of David.

Geographical Context:
Jeshimon is often associated with the wilderness areas east of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea region. It is characterized by its rugged terrain, sparse vegetation, and extreme climate, making it a fitting backdrop for the narratives of struggle and survival found in the biblical texts.

Theological Significance:
In the biblical narrative, Jeshimon serves as a symbol of desolation and testing. It is in these barren landscapes that the Israelites experienced God's provision and guidance, as well as their own trials and tribulations. The wilderness, including areas like Jeshimon, is often depicted as a place of spiritual formation, where reliance on God is paramount.

Historical and Cultural Insights:
The mention of Jeshimon in the context of David's flight from Saul provides insight into the strategic use of the wilderness as a place of refuge and concealment. The harsh conditions of Jeshimon would have made it a formidable environment for both pursuers and those seeking sanctuary.

Conclusion:
While Jeshimon is primarily a geographical term, its repeated use in the biblical narrative underscores its importance as a symbol of desolation and divine testing. The wilderness experiences of biblical figures like David and the Israelites highlight themes of faith, endurance, and reliance on God's provision amidst adversity.Jeshimon

solitude; desolation

Jeshimon

(a wilderness), a name which occurs in (Numbers 21:20) and Numb 23:28 In designating the position of Pisgah and Peor; both described as "facing the Jeshimon." Perhaps the dreary, barren waste of hills lying immediately on the west of the Dead Sea.

The waste, probably some high waste land to the south of the Dead Sea (Numbers 21:20; 23:28; 1 Samuel 23:19, 24); or rather not a proper name at all, but simply "the waste" or "wilderness," the district on which the plateau of Ziph (q.v.) looks down. JESHIMON

je-she'-mon, jesh'-i-mon (ha-yeshimon, "the desert," and in the Revised Version (British and American) so translated but in the King James Version, Numbers 21:20; Numbers 23:28 1 Samuel 23:19, 24; 1 Samuel 26:1, 3, "Jeshimon" as a place-name. In Numbers, the Septuagint reads he eremos, "the desert"; in 1 Samuel, the Septuagint reads Iessaimon): In these passages probably two districts are referred to:

(1) The "desert" North of the Dead Sea, which was overlooked from Pisgah (Numbers 21:20; Numbers 23:28). This is the bare and sterile land, saturated with salt, lying on each side of the Jordan North of the Dead Sea, where for miles practically no vegetable life can exist.

(2) The sterile plateau West of the steep cliffs bordering the western shores of the Dead Sea. Here between the lower slopes of the Judean hills, where thousands of Bedouin live and herd their flocks, and the more fertile borders of the sea with their oases (`Ain Feshkhah, `Ain Jidy, etc.), is a broad strip of utterly waterless land, the soft chalky hills of which are, for all but a few short weeks, destitute of practically any vegetation. The Hill of Hachilah was on the edge of this desert (1 Samuel 23:19; 1 Samuel 26:1, 3), and the Arabah was to its south (1 Samuel 23:24). It is possible that the references in Numbers may also apply to this region.

The word "Jeshimon" (yeshimon) is often used as a common noun in referring to the desert of Sinai (Deuteronomy 32:10 Psalm 78:40; Psalm 106:14 Isaiah 43:19, etc.), and except in the first two of these references, when we have "wilderness," it is always translated "desert." Although used in 7 passages in poetical parallelism to midhbar, translated "wilderness," it really means a much more hopeless place; in a midhbar animals can be pastured, but a yeshimon is a desolate waste.

E. W. G. Masterman

3452. yeshimon -- waste, wilderness
... Word Origin from yasham Definition waste, wilderness NASB Word Usage desert (4),
desert region (1), Jeshimon (4), wasteland (2), wilderness (2). ...
/hebrew/3452.htm - 6k

The Northern Coasts of Galilee. Amanah. The Mountain of Snow.
... of snow which is Hermon." And the Jerusalem writers say, "They built for the daughters
of the Midianites little booths of hurdles from Beth-Jeshimon unto the ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 66 the northern coasts.htm

The Birth and Early Life of John the Baptist.
... the Dead Sea. In I. Sam. xxiii.19 it is called Jeshimon, or "the Horror"]
till the day of his showing unto Israel. [The day when ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/viii the birth and early.htm

Jeshimon (6 Occurrences)
... down. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. JESHIMON. je ... waste. EWG Masterman.
Multi-Version Concordance Jeshimon (6 Occurrences). Numbers ...
/j/jeshimon.htm - 11k

Jeshi'mon (4 Occurrences)
Jeshi'mon. Jeshimon, Jeshi'mon. Jeshimoth . Multi-Version Concordance
Jeshi'mon (4 Occurrences). 1 Samuel 23:19 Then came up the ...
/j/jeshi'mon.htm - 7k

Hachi'lah (3 Occurrences)
... to Saul to Gibeah, saying: 'Doth not David hide himself with us in the strongholds
in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? ...
/h/hachi'lah.htm - 7k

Territory (140 Occurrences)
... four very different types of land-the maritime plain, the "lowland" or Shephelah,
the "hill country" and, included usually with the last, the desert or Jeshimon...
/t/territory.htm - 56k

Wilderness (304 Occurrences)
... 57:20)." A Short Analysis of the OT. (2.) Jeshimon, a desert waste (Deuteronomy
32:10; Psalm 68:7). ... It is the "Jeshimon" mentioned in 1 Samuel 23:19. ...
/w/wilderness.htm - 43k

Desert (322 Occurrences)
... (3.) In the Revised Version of Numbers 21:20 the Hebrew word jeshimon is properly
rendered "desert," meaning the waste tracts on both shores of the Dead Sea. ...
/d/desert.htm - 46k

Hachilah (3 Occurrences)
... The darksome hill, one of the peaks of the long ridge of el-Kolah, running out of
the Ziph plateau, "on the south of Jeshimon" (ie, of the "waste"), the ...
/h/hachilah.htm - 9k

Gib'e-ah (45 Occurrences)
... to Saul to Gibeah, saying: 'Doth not David hide himself with us in the strongholds
in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? ...
/g/gib'e-ah.htm - 19k

Overlooks (6 Occurrences)
... Overlooks (6 Occurrences). Numbers 21:20 And from Bamoth to the valley in the open
country of Moab, and to the top of Pisgah looking over Jeshimon. ...
/o/overlooks.htm - 8k

Judaea (45 Occurrences)
... The country bordering on the shores of the Dead Sea for some miles inland was known
as the Wilderness of Judea (see JUDAH; JESHIMON) (Matthew 3:1), or "the ...
/j/judaea.htm - 24k

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