ESHTEMOA, ESHTEMOH ĕsh’ tə mo’ ə (אֶשְׁתְּמֹ֖ה, אֶשְׁתְּמֹֽעַ), (the form ’eštemō [h] found only in Joshua 15:50 is prob. corrupt), LXX Εσθεμω; derives from Heb. root meaning to hear (on the form of the name see [http://biblegateway/wiki/Eshtaol, Eshtaolites ESHTAOL]); modern es-Semu’a, c. nine m. S of Hebron. The exact genealogical connection of this Judean town in the southern hill country of Judah (Josh 15:50) with the sons and grandsons of Judah mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:1 is not known because in the received text Ezra, who begot Ishbah, the father of Eshtemoa, is unknown (1 Chron 4:17). Moreover, the exact connection between Ezra and Ishbah is unknown because the text appears corrupt. According to 1 Chronicles 4:19 Eshtemoa is a descendant of the wife of a certain Hodiah and also is a Maacathite; viz. descended from Maacah, Caleb’s concubine (1 Chron 2:48). The town was later ceded to the Levites (Josh 21:14 and 1 Chron 6:57 [Heb v. 42]) (cf. A. Alt, “Festungen und Levitenorten im Land Juda,” Kleine Schriften II [1952], 306-315). It was one of the cities where David had friends who were elders of Judah and to whom he sent part of the booty taken from the Amalekites after their raid upon Ziklag (1 Sam 30:26-28).