Hukkok
Hukkok is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Galilee in modern-day Israel. Known today as Khirbet el Jemeijimeh. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Hukkok is a town listed among the border cities of the tribe of Naphtali in the allotment of the Promised Land. It appears in Joshua 19:34, where the boundary of Naphtali is described as touching Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and the Jordan on the east, with Hukkok marking a point along this frontier. The name may derive from a Hebrew root meaning "to engrave" or "to decree." Though Hukkok receives only a single mention in the territorial descriptions, its placement within Naphtali's allotment situates it in the fertile hills of lower Galilee, a region that would later become significant in the ministry of Jesus. Naphtali's territory was among the first to suffer invasion when the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom (2 Kings 15:29), and the prophet Isaiah foretold that this same region would one day see great light (Isaiah 9:1-2), a prophecy the New Testament applies to Jesus's Galilean ministry (Matthew 4:13-16). Hukkok thus belonged to a land of both judgment and messianic hope.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Hukkok is commonly identified with Khirbet el-Jemeijimeh (also known as Horvat Hukkok), located in the hills of lower Galilee west of the Sea of Galilee and north of Kibbutz Hukkok. Recent excavations led by Jodi Magness of the University of North Carolina at nearby Huqoq have uncovered a remarkable late Roman-period synagogue with elaborate mosaic floors depicting biblical scenes including Samson, the building of the Tower of Babel, and a non-biblical scene possibly showing Alexander the Great. While the synagogue dates to the fifth century AD rather than the biblical period, Iron Age pottery has been found in the vicinity, supporting continuous settlement from the Israelite period. The site offers panoramic views of the surrounding Galilean landscape.
Verse Appearances (1)
Josh
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →