קוֹעַ
Koa, a region of Babylon
Definition
Koa (קוֹעַ) is a proper noun referring to a specific region or people group associated with the Babylonian Empire. In its sole biblical occurrence, it is listed among the formidable military allies of Babylon that are prophesied to come against the unfaithful kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The name likely carries a connotation of 'cutting off' or 'curtailment,' which poetically aligns with its role as an instrument of divine judgment. The term is used exclusively in a prophetic, geopolitical context to denote a powerful eastern force under Babylon's banner.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in Ezekiel 23:23. It appears in a list of Babylonian allies—specifically 'the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod and Shoa and Koa'—who are summoned as agents of God's judgment against the allegorically unfaithful sisters, Oholah (Samaria) and Oholibah (Jerusalem). Its usage is strictly as a proper name for a people or territory within the Babylonian sphere of influence.
Etymology
The name קוֹעַ (Qôwaʻ) is probably derived from the root קוּץ (qûts, H6972), which in its original sense means 'to cut off' or 'to lop off.' This etymological connection suggests the name may have conveyed an idea of severance or curtailment. As a proper name, its meaning is likely descriptive of the region's characteristics or the perceived nature of its people.
Semantic Range
While Koa itself is not a central theological term, its inclusion in Ezekiel 23:23 is theologically significant. It serves as a specific detail within a larger prophecy of covenant judgment, demonstrating God's sovereign use of pagan nations as instruments of discipline against His rebellious people. Understanding it as a real, formidable eastern power enriches the reading by highlighting the concrete historical reality behind the prophetic metaphor of judgment.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, Koa represented a known regional power allied with the Neo-Babylonian Empire. For Ezekiel's original audience, the listing of names like Pekod, Shoa, and Koa would have evoked a sense of imminent, overwhelming military threat from the east. Its modern identification remains uncertain, but it was clearly understood in its time as part of the complex web of nations under Babylonian hegemony.
There are no direct Hebrew synonyms for this proper noun. It is grouped with other allied regional names in the same verse: פְּקוֹד (Pᵉqôwd, H6489) — Pekod, another Babylonian ally; and שׁוֹעַ (Shôwaʻ, H7772) — Shoa, also a listed ally.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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