רִקֻּעַ
beaten out, i.e. a (metallic) plate
Definition
The Hebrew noun רִקֻּעַ (riqquaʻ) refers to a thin, beaten-out metal plate, specifically one that has been hammered into a broad, flat shape. It derives from the verb meaning 'to beat out' or 'to spread thin,' describing the process of metalworking. In its sole biblical occurrence in Numbers 16:38, it describes the metal plates hammered from the censers of Korah's rebellious followers, which were then used to overlay the altar as a warning sign. The term emphasizes the object's manufactured state—transformed from a three-dimensional censer into a flat, covering sheet through forceful hammering.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Numbers 16:38. It appears in the context of divine judgment following Korah's rebellion. The Israelite censers, originally used for offering incense, were hammered into broad plates (רִקֻּעִים) and used to overlay the bronze altar. This specific usage highlights a transformation of objects from instruments of illegitimate worship into a permanent, visible memorial of warning for the community.
Etymology
רִקֻּעַ (riqquaʻ) is a noun derived directly from the root verb רָקַע (rāqaʻ, H7554), which means 'to beat out,' 'spread out,' or 'hammer thin,' often used for spreading metals (Exodus 39:3) or the earth (Isaiah 42:5). The noun form denotes the resultant product—a beaten-out object. Cognates in other Semitic languages carry similar meanings related to flattening or spreading.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it is tied to a major event of rebellion and divine judgment (Numbers 16). The transformation of the censers into altar coverings serves as a powerful object lesson: items used in sinful rebellion are repurposed by God into a permanent memorial of His holiness and the consequences of challenging His appointed order (Numbers 16:40). Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading by highlighting the intentional, physical craftsmanship behind this symbolic warning.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, metalworking—particularly hammering gold, silver, or bronze into thin sheets or plates—was a skilled craft. A 'riqquaʻ' was not a cast object but one shaped by sustained labor. The process of hammering censers into plates would have been understood as a deliberate, transformative act, altering an object's sacred function. The resulting plates used to overlay the altar connected to the common practice of adorning sacred items with precious metal coverings, but here with a uniquely solemn purpose.
צִפּוּי (ṣippûy, H6823) — a general term for an overlay or plating, not specifying the method of manufacture. פַּח (paḥ, H6341) — a thin plate or sheet, sometimes of metal, but can also refer to a slab or board.
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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