Bible Word Study
קַרְקַע
Qarqaʻ · Karka (with the article prefix), a place in Palestine
קַרְקַע
Karka (with the article prefix), a place in Palestine
Definition
The Hebrew word קַרְקַע (Qarqaʻ) is a proper noun referring to a specific geographical location in the southern border of the tribe of Judah, as recorded in Joshua 15:3. It appears in the form 'ha-Qarqaʻ' (הַקַּרְקַע), meaning 'the Karka,' indicating it was a known place name. The term is derived from the common noun meaning 'ground' or 'floor,' suggesting the location might have been characterized by its terrain. In its single biblical occurrence, it serves solely as a place identifier with no additional narrative detail.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Joshua 15:3, within a list describing the southern boundary of Judah's tribal inheritance. It functions strictly as a toponym (place name). There are no patterns of usage across different contexts or books, as it is a unique reference.
Etymology
קַרְקַע (Qarqaʻ) is identical to the common noun H7172 (קַרְקַע), which means 'ground,' 'bottom,' or 'floor' (e.g., the floor of a building or the bottom of the sea). As a place name, it is therefore a descriptive toponym, likely indicating a site known for its ground or foundational character. The root relates to the concept of a base or foundation.
Semantic Range
As a place name on a tribal boundary list, 'Karka' reflects the Israelite practice of defining territories with precise geographical markers. These lists (Joshua 13-19) were crucial for establishing tribal identity, inheritance, and community cohesion in the Promised Land. The name itself, meaning 'ground,' may have described a notable flat area, bedrock formation, or settlement site known to the original audience. קַרְקַע (qarqaʻ, H7172) — the common noun meaning 'ground' or 'floor,' from which the place name is directly derived. אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — a more general term for 'land,' 'earth,' or 'country.'
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]