חֻקֹּק

Chukkok or Chukok, a place in Palestine

Definition

Chukkok (or Chukok) is a proper noun referring to a town in the territory of the tribe of Naphtali, located in ancient Palestine. It is mentioned as a border town in the description of Naphtali's inheritance in Joshua 19:34. The same location is later referenced in 1 Chronicles 6:75 (verse 60 in some English versions) as one of the Levitical cities given to the Gershonites from the tribe of Naphtali. There are no other distinct biblical meanings for this word; it functions solely as a geographical place name.

Biblical Usage

The word is used exclusively as a geographical place name in two Old Testament passages. It appears in a list of border towns defining the territory of the tribe of Naphtali (Joshua 19:34). It is used again in a list of cities allotted to the Levites from the various tribal territories (1 Chronicles 6:75). There are no other usages or patterns.

Etymology

The name חֻקֹּק (Chuqqôq) is derived from the Hebrew root חָקַק (ḥāqaq, H2710), which means 'to engrave,' 'to inscribe,' 'to decree,' or 'to appoint.' As a place name, it likely carries the sense of something 'decreed' or 'appointed,' possibly referring to a boundary marker or a designated location. The full form חוּקֹק (Chuqqôq) appears in 1 Chronicles 6:75.

Semantic Range

As a place name, Chukkok represents a specific, though now unidentifiable, location in ancient Israel's tribal geography. Its inclusion in border descriptions (Joshua 19:34) highlights the importance of defined tribal territories as part of God's covenantal land grant to Israel. Its later designation as a Levitical city (1 Chronicles 6:75) reflects the system of providing for the priestly tribe from the other tribes' inheritances, a key socio-religious structure in ancient Israel.

Word Details

Scripture References