Founded in 1984 on state lands by a group of OrthodoxJewishIsraelis from Yeshivat Har Etzion in Alon Shvut with help from Amana, the yishuv is now home to about 200 families. The town's name is symbolic and is derived from the bible: "And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion" (Isaiah 35,10 and 51,11). The word ransomed in Hebrew is "Pedui", and Pedu-el means "ransomed by God".[citation needed]