Jokdeam
Jokdeam is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Khirbet er Raqqa. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Jokdeam appears only once in Scripture, in Joshua 15:56, where it is listed among the cities allotted to the tribe of Judah in the hill country district. This passage forms part of the extensive boundary and city lists that Joshua oversaw as the Israelites apportioned the Promised Land following the conquest of Canaan. Jokdeam belonged to a cluster of settlements in the Judean highlands south of Hebron, a region that would become the heartland of the tribe of Judah. Though no specific narrative events are recorded at Jokdeam, its inclusion in this tribal allotment list reflects the careful, divinely guided distribution of the land that God had promised to Abraham's descendants. The Judean hill country cities served as the agricultural and defensive backbone of the tribe, and places like Jokdeam, however small, contributed to the territorial integrity of Judah. This region would later form the core of the kingdom of Judah under David and his successors, playing a lasting role in the story of God's covenant people.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Jokdeam is tentatively identified with Khirbet er-Raqqa, a site located in the Judean hill country south of Hebron. The identification rests primarily on geographical considerations, as the site fits the general location implied by its position in the Joshua 15 city list among other known Judean highland settlements. Surface surveys in the area have documented scattered pottery from the Iron Age period, suggesting habitation during the era of the Israelite monarchy. However, no systematic excavations have been undertaken at Khirbet er-Raqqa specifically to confirm the identification with Jokdeam. The surrounding Judean highlands contain numerous small tells and ruins from the biblical period, reflecting the dense network of agricultural villages that characterized this region in antiquity.
Verse Appearances (1)
Josh
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →