Bible Word Study
יׇקְתְאֵל
Yoqthᵉʼêl · Joktheel, the name of a place in Palestine, and of one in Idumaea
יׇקְתְאֵל
Joktheel, the name of a place in Palestine, and of one in Idumaea
Definition
Joktheel is the name of two distinct locations in the Old Testament. In Joshua 15:38, it is listed as a town in the lowland (Shephelah) region of the tribal territory of Judah. In 2 Kings 14:7, it refers to a city in Edom (Idumaea) that was captured and renamed by King Amaziah of Judah after his military victory over the Edomites. The renaming of the Edomite city to Joktheel, meaning 'veneration of God,' was a common ancient practice to assert dominance and commemorate a victory as an act dedicated to God.
Biblical Usage
The word is used only twice, both times as a proper noun for a place name. It appears once in a geographical list of Judah's cities (Joshua 15:38) and once in a historical narrative describing King Amaziah's conquests (2 Kings 14:7). In 2 Kings, its usage is specifically tied to a political and symbolic act of renaming a conquered city.
Etymology
The name Joktheel (יָקְתְאֵל) is likely a compound of two elements. The first part may derive from a root related to H3348 (יָקֶה), meaning 'to be obedient' or 'venerated.' The second part is H410 (אֵל), the common word for 'God.' Thus, the name means 'veneration of God' or 'obedience to God,' similar to the name Jekuthiel (H3354).
Semantic Range
The renaming of the Edomite city to Joktheel in 2 Kings 14:7 carries theological significance. It transforms a secular military victory into a testimony to God's power, attributing success to divine favor. This act reflects a biblical pattern where significant events or locations are given names that acknowledge God's sovereignty, reminding Israel that their history and territory are under His dominion. In the ancient Near East, conquering a city and renaming it was a powerful political and religious statement. It signified complete subjugation and a change in ownership or allegiance. By renaming the Edomite stronghold 'Joktheel,' King Amaziah was not only claiming the territory for Judah but also dedicating it to the God of Israel, asserting Yahweh's supremacy over the gods of Edom. Jekuthiel (Yᵉqûthîʼêl, H3354) — A personal name with a nearly identical meaning ('obedience of God').
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]