Bible Word Study
רֶקֶם
Reqem · Rekem, the name of a place in Palestine, also of a Midianite and an Israelite
רֶקֶם
Rekem, the name of a place in Palestine, also of a Midianite and an Israelite
Definition
Rekem (רֶקֶם) is a proper noun used in the Old Testament primarily as a place name and a personal name. As a place, it refers to a city in the territory of Benjamin (Joshua 18:27) and is also identified as a city of the Midianites, whose king was slain by the Israelites (Numbers 31:8, Joshua 13:21). As a personal name, Rekem appears as a descendant of Caleb from the tribe of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:43-44) and also as a man from the tribe of Manasseh (1 Chronicles 7:16). The contexts consistently treat it as an identifier for specific locations or individuals within the biblical narrative.
Biblical Usage
The word is used six times across four books: Numbers, Joshua, and 1 Chronicles. In Numbers 31:8 and Joshua 13:21, it refers to a Midianite king killed during Israel's conquest. In Joshua 18:27, it is listed as a city within the tribal allotment of Benjamin. In 1 Chronicles 2:43-44, it appears as the name of a son of Hebron from the tribe of Judah, and in 1 Chronicles 7:16, it is the name of a man from the tribe of Manasseh. The usage is strictly as a proper noun without metaphorical or symbolic application.
Etymology
Rekem is derived from the Hebrew root רָקַם (rāqam, H7551), which means 'to variegate' or 'to embroider,' often implying something intricately colored or patterned. As a proper noun, the connection to this root is likely descriptive, possibly referring to a place known for colorful embroidery or variegated stone, though the exact reason for the naming is not specified in the biblical text.
Semantic Range
As a place name in ancient Palestine, Rekem's identification helps map the historical geography of Israel's tribal territories and conflicts. The mention of a Midianite king named Rekem (Numbers 31:8) places it within the context of Israel's warfare against Midian, reflecting the political structures of neighboring peoples. The personal names in genealogies (1 Chronicles 2:43-44, 7:16) highlight the importance of lineage and tribal identity in Israelite society. No direct synonyms as a proper noun, but related place names include: Jericho (Yᵊrîḥô, H3405) — a major city in Canaan conquered by Israel. Gibeon (Givʿôn, H1391) — a prominent city in the territory of Benjamin.
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]