21–4: Why Place Names Change in the Bible (And What That Means for Us)

Although the Bible is God’s Word…

Originally given to Moses by YAHWEH on Mount Sinai …

It has been revised over time to reflect changes in place names throughout the centuries.

For example, if I were to tell you that…

“This summer I want to visit ‘The Land of 10,000 Smokes’ for vacation."

Your response would probably be something like…

“What place?”

“Come again?!”

Because you would have no idea which place I’m talking about.

Well, the answer would be Los Angeles.

Hundreds of years before the Europeans or Mexicans ever settled in that area…

L.A. was inhabited by the Chumash Indians, and that is what they called it.

However, if I were writing a history book and talking about where the Chumash Indians lived before the white man and the Mexicans…

I would say “They resided in Los Angeles” simply because that is the name that everybody in our day and age is familiar with.

Bible redactors have done the same thing.

Look at Genesis 21:34.

“And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time.”

This is obviously a redaction because the Philistines did not immigrate into Canaan until about four centuries later.

So we can see that the Bible editor wanted to use a place name that would be familiar to the people in his time.

These changes occur quite frequently in Scripture.

For example, in the Bible, we will encounter a place called Jebus.

This place is Jerusalem.

It’s the same place, but just being spoken about in two different languages in two different periods.

A similar transformation also occurred with the name “Jesus."

First, it was YEHOSHUA.

Then it was shortened to YESHUA.

Afterwards, due to Greek influence, it became “IESOUS."

Eventually, due to Latin influence, it morphed into “IESUS."

Next, when the letter “J” was introduced into England during the Norman Invasion…

All male names that began with “I” or “Y” were replaced with “J” because it sounded more masculine.

For example, “IAMES” became “JAMES” or “YACOB” became “JACOB."

And then finally “IESUS” became “JESUS."

© Richoka