A town in the territory of Dan, on the northern border of the territory of Judah; occupied by the Philistines and home to wife of Samson.
About Timnah (of Dan)
1. One of the cities on the northern boundary of Judah’s inheritance, located between Beth-shemesh and Ekron (Jos 15:10). This is the likely site of Judah’s affair with Tamar, which resulted in the birth of Perez and Zerah (Gn 38:12–14). A frontier town between Judah and Philistia, Timnah was the place where Samson had his first marital difficulties with one of the daughters of the Philistines (Jgs 14:1–5; 15:6). The town evidently changed hands frequently between the Israelites and the Philistines. Apparently, Israel did achieve control of Timnah during the conquest (cf. Jos 19:43), but it was under Philistine control by the time of Samson (Jgs 14:1). Ahaz recaptured Timnah (c. 730 BC) from the Philistines (2 Chr 28:18).
Key References
The border curled westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), went down to Beth-shemesh, and crossed to Timnah.
One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman.