Lexical Summary Yibleam: Yibleam Original Word: יִבְלְעָם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Ibleam From bala' and am; devouring people; Jibleam, a place in Palestine -- Ibleam. see HEBREW bala' see HEBREW am NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a city of Manasseh NASB Translation Ibleam (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs יִבְלְעָם proper name, of a location a city of Manasseh in West-Jordan land Joshua 17:11 (J E; but ׳יִב here dubious, see BuRS 13 f.), Judges 1:27; 2 Kings 9:27; so read also 2 Kings 15:10 for ᵑ0 קָבָלעָֿם (ᵐ5L ἐν Ιεβλααμ; see Klo); = בִּלְעָם 1 Chronicles 6:55, q. v.; read יִבְלְעָם also in Joshua 21:25 ("" 1 Chronicles 6:55), for ᵑ0 גַּתּ רִמּוֺן, ᵐ5 Ιεβαθα (ᵐ5L after ᵑ0 Γεθρεμμων, see Di; it lay about 13 miles east of north from Samaria, three-fifths of the way to Jezreel; modern ruin Bel`ame BdPal 228, compare SchultzZMG iii. 49; (Old Egyptian Y-b-ra-±a-mu WMM195). יַבֶּלֶת see יַבָּל יבם (apparently √ of following; meaning dubious). Topical Lexicon Geographic Setting Ibleam lay on the southern edge of the Jezreel Valley, just west of Beth Shan and south-east of Megiddo. Its position controlled the ascent that climbs from the Valley of Jezreel toward the central highlands, making it a strategic waypoint on the north–south corridor later known as the Via Maris. Most scholars locate the site at modern Tel Belame (Khirbet Belameh), where caves and water systems hewn into the limestone reflect the need to secure both supply and defense along this military route. Covenantal Allocation Although situated inside the territorial allotments of Issachar and Asher, Ibleam was granted to the half-tribe of Manasseh (Joshua 17:11). This arrangement highlights the flexible tribal boundaries that served larger covenant purposes: God was apportioning the land so that each tribe could flourish while still cooperating for the security of the whole nation. Incomplete Conquest and Continuing Canaanite Presence Judges 1:27 recalls that “Manasseh failed to drive out the residents of… Ibleam,” allowing the Canaanites to remain. The spiritual lesson is unmistakable. Israel’s partial obedience produced ongoing compromise, leaving footholds for idolatry and political instability that resurfaced throughout the monarchy. The episode underscores the principle later articulated by the Apostle Paul: “A little leaven leavens the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9). Royal Bloodshed and Divine Judgment Centuries later the name of Ibleam returns in 2 Kings 9:27 when Jehu’s purge of the Omride dynasty overtakes King Ahaziah of Judah: “When King Ahaziah of Judah saw this, he fled along the road to Beth-haggan. Jehu pursued him, shouting, ‘Shoot him as well!’ So they shot Ahaziah in his chariot on the Ascent of Gur near Ibleam, but he fled to Megiddo and died there”. The site thus brackets two contrasting eras: Joshua’s generation that only partially obeyed, and Jehu’s generation that became an instrument of judgment. Ibleam stands between Israel’s unrealized calling and God’s unfailing sovereignty to cleanse His people. Strategic Importance in Israel’s Defense Because Ibleam controlled the ascent from the coastal plain to the Jezreel Valley, whomever held the city could threaten the entire Manassite heartland. The failure to expel the Canaanites forced Israel either to coexist or to pay tribute, weakening national security. Later kings fortified nearby Megiddo to compensate, but the vulnerability remained a reminder of unfinished obedience. Archaeological Notes Excavations at Tel Belame reveal Middle Bronze and Late Bronze fortifications, Iron-Age pottery, and a sophisticated rock-cut tunnel leading to a spring—paralleling water systems at Megiddo and Hazor. While no inscription naming Ibleam has surfaced, the occupational layers align with the biblical timeline: a Canaanite stronghold in the Late Bronze Age, followed by mixed Israelite–Canaanite habitation in Iron Age I, and continued strategic use into the ninth century B.C., precisely when Jehu’s campaign occurred. Lessons for Personal and Corporate Ministry 1. The peril of half-hearted obedience. Just as Manasseh’s incomplete conquest allowed idolatry to linger, unresolved sin in the believer’s life can become a future snare. Christological Foreshadowing Jehu’s zeal at Ibleam anticipates the righteous judgment that the Messiah will one day execute (Revelation 19:11-16). Yet Jehu’s imperfect reign also points beyond itself to the perfect King who will conquer without succumbing to the very sins He condemns. Summary Ibleam, a modest hill-city on a prominent ridge, mirrors the spiritual trajectory of Israel itself: gifted by God, partially possessed, and ultimately swept into the whirlwind of judgment and redemption. From Joshua to Jehu, its terrain records the consequences of compromise and the faithfulness of the covenant-keeping God who works through history to accomplish His redemptive plan. Forms and Transliterations וְיִבְלְעָ֨ם ויבלעם יִבְלְעָ֔ם יִבְלְעָם֙ יבלעם veyivleAm wə·yiḇ·lə·‘ām wəyiḇlə‘ām yiḇ·lə·‘ām yiḇlə‘ām yivleAmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 17:11 HEB: שְׁאָ֣ן וּ֠בְנוֹתֶיהָ וְיִבְלְעָ֨ם וּבְנוֹתֶ֜יהָ וְֽאֶת־ NAS: and its towns and Ibleam and its towns, KJV: and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, INT: Beth-shean towns and Ibleam towns and the inhabitants Judges 1:27 2 Kings 9:27 3 Occurrences |
    |