No other city in history has had so many names and honorary titles as the Holy City of Jerusalem. Even that fact alone reflects the importance of Jerusalem in biblical history, in different cultures, and across the generations. This series introduces the biblical Hebrew names of the City of David. Unfortunately, the meanings of the Hebrew titles often fade in the translations. The names of Jerusalem also illuminate why the biblical city is so controversial. Here we take a deep dive into another one of these 70 names…

עָזַבְתִּי אֶת-בֵּיתִי אֶת-נַחֲלָתִי אֶת-יְדִדוּת נַפְשִׁי בְּכַף אויביה

“I have renounced my house, given up my inheritance, given the friendship of my soul into the hand of his enemies.” (Jeremiah 12:7)

מַה-יְּדִידוֹת מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֶיךָ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת.

“How lovely [friendly] are your dwelling places, Lord of Hosts!” (Psalm 84:3)

These scriptures use the word friendship, Yedidut (יְדִדוּת /יְּדִידוֹת), to refer to Jerusalem. God declares that He left His house and inheritance because of the sins of the people of the kingdom...