Lexical Summary Chaqupha: Circuit, cycle, revolution Original Word: חֲקוּפָא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hakupha From an unused root probably meaning to bend; crooked; Chakupha, one of the Nethinim -- Hakupha. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition an Isr. NASB Translation Hakupha (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֲקוּפָא proper name, masculine head of a family of returning exiles Ezra 2:51 = Nehemiah 7:53, ᵐ5 Αφεικα, Αχειφα, Ακουφα, etc. Topical Lexicon Name and Occurrences Hakupha appears twice, in Ezra 2:51 and Nehemiah 7:53, within the post-exilic census lists. In both places the name designates a family group numbered among the Nethinim, a hereditary class of Temple servants who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. Textual Witness Ezra 2:51: “the descendants of Bakbuk, Hakupha, and Harhur.” Nehemiah 7:53: “the descendants of Bakbuk, Hakupha, and Harhur.” Historical Setting 1. Post-exilic restoration. The family of Hakupha resettled Jerusalem in the late sixth century B.C., after Cyrus’s decree allowed Judah’s exiles to return (Ezra 1:1–4). Their inclusion signals a faithful response to God’s providential opening of the way home. Covenantal Significance Genealogical records in Ezra and Nehemiah are more than administrative rosters; they bear covenantal weight. By naming Hakupha among the Nethinim, Scripture confirms that God preserved even the least-known servants through exile, fulfilling promises to maintain a worshiping remnant (Jeremiah 24:6–7). Their verified pedigree also protected the purity of Temple service (Ezra 2:62–63), demonstrating that holiness in ministry requires both divine calling and accountable lineage. Ministry Themes Illustrated • Faithful service in obscurity. Though not priests, prophets, or rulers, the descendants of Hakupha were indispensable. Their quiet labor mirrors New Testament teaching that “the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable” (1 Corinthians 12:22). Lessons for Modern Ministry 1. Value unseen labor. Congregational life still depends on servants whose names seldom headline reports, yet whose faithfulness sustains corporate worship. Conclusion Hakupha’s brief appearance in Scripture underscores God’s meticulous care for every participant in His redemptive plan. Though little is recorded, the family’s inclusion in the inspired record assures believers that faithful service—however obscure—advances the worship and glory of God across the ages. Forms and Transliterations חֲקוּפָ֖א חקופא chakuFa ḥă·qū·p̄ā ḥăqūp̄āLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 2:51 HEB: בַקְבּ֥וּק בְּנֵי־ חֲקוּפָ֖א בְּנֵ֥י חַרְחֽוּר׃ NAS: the sons of Hakupha, the sons KJV: the children of Hakupha, the children INT: of Bakbuk the sons of Hakupha the sons of Harhur Nehemiah 7:53 2 Occurrences |
    |