Karkor
Karkor is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Transjordan in modern-day Israel. Known today as Al Qarqar. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Karkor is mentioned in a single but dramatic passage in the book of Judges. In Judges 8:10, Gideon pursues the Midianite kings Zebah and Zalmunna to Karkor, where they had encamped with the remnant of their eastern army, approximately fifteen thousand men. This was the final stage of Gideon's stunning rout of the Midianite coalition. After his famous night raid with three hundred men carrying torches and trumpets (Judges 7:16-22), Gideon chased the fleeing Midianites across the Jordan into Transjordan. At Karkor, the Midianite kings believed themselves safe, but Gideon attacked by an unexpected route, ascending by the caravan trail east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and struck the unsuspecting camp (Judges 8:11). The capture and execution of Zebah and Zalmunna completed Israel's deliverance from seven years of Midianite oppression. Karkor's remote location in Transjordan highlights the thoroughness of Gideon's pursuit and God's comprehensive victory over Israel's oppressors.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Karkor is traditionally identified with al-Qarqar in the Wadi Sirhan region of Transjordan, though some scholars place it further east. The identification with the modern site remains uncertain, as the biblical text provides few geographical details beyond its location east of the Jordan. The Wadi Sirhan corridor was an important ancient trade and migration route connecting the Arabian Peninsula with Syria and Mesopotamia. Archaeological surveys in the region have documented scattered settlement remains from the Bronze and Iron Ages. The remote, semi-arid landscape would have made it a plausible refuge for a defeated army seeking distance from pursuers west of the Jordan.
Verse Appearances (1)
Judg
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →