Original Word: גַּת־רִמּוֹן
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Gath-Rimmown
Pronunciation: gath-rim-MONE
Phonetic Spelling: (gath-rim-mone')
KJV: Gath-rimmon
NASB: Gath-rimmon
Word Origin: [from H1660 (גַּת - wine press) and H7416 (רִמּוֹן רִמּוֹן - pomegranates)]

1. wine-press of (the) pomegranate
2. Gath-Rimmon, a place in Israel

Gath-rimmon

From gath and rimmown; wine-press of (the) pomegranate; Gath-Rimmon, a place in Palestine -- Gath-rimmon.

see HEBREW gath

see HEBREW rimmown

Word Origin
from gath and rimmon
Definition
"wine press of a pomegranate," two places in Pal.
NASB Translation
Gath-rimmon (4).

גַּתרִֿמּוֺן proper name, of a location in Dan Joshua 19:45; Levitical city Joshua 21:24 = 1 Chronicles 6:54; site unknown. — גַּת רִמּוֺן in Manasseh Joshua 21:25 is scribal error; read יִבְלְעָם, q. v.

Name and Meaning

Gath Rimmon, “winepress of the pomegranate,” unites two images rich in biblical symbolism. The winepress speaks of fruitfulness, joy, and—when used prophetically—of judgment (Isaiah 63:3; Revelation 14:19–20). The pomegranate, woven into the High Priest’s robe and the Temple décor (Exodus 28:33–34; 1 Kings 7:18), evokes covenant blessing, abundance, and righteous beauty. Together the name hints at a place where divine provision and sanctified labor meet.

Scriptural Occurrences

1. Joshua 19:45 lists the town in the territorial allotment to Dan: “Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, Me Jarkon, and Rakkon, with the territory across from Joppa”.
2. Joshua 21:24 records its transfer to the Kohathite Levites within Dan’s inheritance.
3. Joshua 21:25 (in many manuscripts) repeats the name in a second list, now within half-Manasseh, a variation addressed below.
4. 1 Chronicles 6:69 confirms the Levitical status: “Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands.”

Geographic Setting

Most scholars locate the Danite Gath Rimmon at modern Tel Gerisa (Tell Jerishe) on the southern bank of the Yarkon River, roughly five kilometers east of present-day Tel Aviv. The fertile alluvial soil explains the viticulture implied by the town’s name and its proximity to pomegranate orchards still found in the coastal plain. The alternate listing with Manasseh may point to a second settlement of the same name near the Jezreel Valley (some manuscripts read “Ibleam” or “Gittaim”), but the Masoretic Text preserves “Gath Rimmon” in both verses, reminding the reader that even copyist variations do not undermine the theological message of God’s orderly distribution of the land.

Tribal Allocation and Levitical Assignment

Originally a Danite city, Gath Rimmon became one of the forty-eight Levitical towns, specifically for the Kohathites not descended from Aaron (Joshua 21:20–26). Its pasturelands provided for the Levites’ flocks while they provided spiritual oversight for the surrounding tribes (Numbers 35:1–8). Placing a Levitical center in a border town of Dan proved strategic:
• Dan struggled to hold its coastal inheritance against Philistine pressure (Judges 1:34). A Levitical presence offered doctrinal stability amid military instability.
• Levites, distributed throughout Israel, fostered covenant faithfulness. Gath Rimmon thus became a local hub for teaching the Law, settling disputes, and leading worship (Deuteronomy 33:10; 2 Chronicles 17:8-9).

Historical Significance

While Scripture records no dramatic events at Gath Rimmon, its inclusion in both inheritance lists and Levitical rosters underscores several themes:

1. Continuity of Promise. From Joshua’s conquest to the Chronicler’s post-exilic perspective, the town’s name reappears unchanged, testifying to the enduring accuracy of Israel’s tribal boundaries.
2. Priesthood in Daily Life. By embedding priests and Levites in agricultural towns, the LORD affirmed that worship is not confined to sanctuary precincts but permeates labor, commerce, and domestic affairs.
3. Unity amid Diversity. The Kohathites served Danites on the Mediterranean plain and, if the variant is original, Manassites in the Jezreel. One priestly clan ministered across tribal lines, illustrating the integrative function of divine law.

Symbolic and Theological Insights

• Winepress: foreshadows both blessing and judgment. Just as grapes are crushed to yield wine, so Messiah would be “crushed for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5), yielding the wine of the New Covenant (Matthew 26:27-28).
• Pomegranate: its many seeds within one rind illustrate unity in diversity—Israel’s tribes under one covenant (Song of Songs 4:3), the Church’s members in one body (1 Corinthians 12:12). A city bearing both symbols signals a ministry calling: to proclaim covenant life and warn of covenant breach.
• Levitical witness: stationed in a frontier prone to idolatrous influence, Gath Rimmon reminds believers to maintain doctrinal fidelity where cultural pressures run high.

Lessons for Contemporary Believers

1. Fruitful Service. Like a winepress, ministry often involves pressure; yet Spirit-produced joy flows from faithful obedience (Philippians 2:17).
2. Integrated Worship. The pomegranate-adorned robe of the High Priest appeared wherever he went, not only within the sanctuary. Everyday settings—offices, farms, homes—become platforms for priestly representation (1 Peter 2:9).
3. Strategic Placement. God intentionally positions His servants where they are most needed, even on contested borders. Yielding to His placement enables effective witness (Acts 17:26-27).

Key Themes and Cross References

• Covenant Land: Numbers 34; Joshua 13–21.
• Levitical Distribution: Numbers 35:1-8; Joshua 21; 1 Chronicles 6.
• Symbolism of Winepress: Isaiah 63:1-6; Joel 3:13; Revelation 14:18-20.
• Symbolism of Pomegranate: Exodus 28:33-34; 1 Kings 7:18-20; Song of Songs 4:3, 6:7.

Through four concise biblical mentions, Gath Rimmon testifies that every corner of Israel’s inheritance—even a modest agricultural town—was woven into God’s redemptive tapestry, bearing witness to His provision, His priesthood, and His purpose for a holy, fruitful people.

רִמּ֖וֹן רִמּֽוֹן׃ רמון רמון׃ rim·mō·wn rimMon rimmōwnInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts