Lexical Summary Yoqneam: Jokneam Original Word: יָקְנְעָם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Jokneam From quwn and am; (the) people will be lamented; Jokneam, a place in Palestine -- Jokneam. see HEBREW quwn see HEBREW am NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a city of Canaan NASB Translation Jokneam (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs יָקְנְעָם proper name, of a location Canaanitish city, with a king, defined by לַכַּרְמֶל Joshua 12:22; in Zebulun Joshua 19:11; Levitical city Joshua 21:34. Topical Lexicon Jokneam (Strong’s Hebrew 3362) Biblical references 1. Joshua 12:22 – “the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one;” Geographic setting Jokneam lay at the southwestern edge of the Jezreel Valley, on the lower slopes of Mount Carmel and near the Kishon River. Its commanding position overlooked the strategic north–south coastal highway (Via Maris) and the east–west corridor through the Jezreel. Today most scholars identify the site with Tell Qeimun (Tel Yokneʿam), about 13 miles (21 km) southeast of modern Haifa. The surrounding fertile plain, abundant water, and defensible elevation explain its early settlement and repeated military interest. Historical context During the Conquest under Joshua, Jokneam’s Canaanite ruler fell alongside twenty-nine other northern kings (Joshua 12:7–24). The record underscores the completeness of Israel’s victory and God’s faithfulness to His promise to give the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–2). In the tribal allotments (Joshua 19), the city served as a boundary marker for Zebulun, showing the tribe’s access to both rich farmland and trade routes. Its later designation as a Levitical city (Joshua 21) highlights the Lord’s provision for the priestly clans and the centrality of worship within every region of Israel. Levitical significance Jokneam became one of the four cities granted to the Merarite division of the Levites. This set the Levites among the tribes as living witnesses to the covenant, teaching the Law (Deuteronomy 33:10) and adjudicating disputes (2 Chronicles 19:8). Placing Levites in a frontier town near gentile trade caravans reinforced Israel’s calling to model holiness “in the midst of the nations” (Ezekiel 5:5). Military importance Flanking Mount Carmel, Jokneam guarded the Kishon crossing and the approach to the Jezreel Valley, an arena for later battles such as Deborah’s victory over Sisera (Judges 4–5) and Gideon’s rout of the Midianites (Judges 7). Although those narratives do not mention Jokneam by name, its proximity meant the town likely felt the ripple effects of troop movements and harvest-time raids. Prophetic and theological themes 1. Fulfillment of promise – Jokneam’s conquest and allotment validate Joshua 21:45, “Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; everything was fulfilled.” Spiritual lessons for today • God places His people strategically. Like Jokneam’s Levites on a crossroads, believers are situated to influence their communities. Archaeological and extrabiblical insights Excavations at Tel Yokneʿam have revealed Late Bronze and Iron Age fortifications, domestic structures, and a gate complex matching a significant Canaanite center absorbed into Israelite culture. Egyptian execration texts and Thutmose III’s conquest lists mention a “Kunam” or “Yokneʿam,” corroborating the town’s pre-Israelite prominence. Such finds buttress the biblical portrayal of a fortified city subdued by Israel and continuously inhabited into the monarchic era. See also Mount Carmel; Jezreel Valley; Zebulun, Tribe of; Levites; Cities of Refuge and Levitical Cities Forms and Transliterations יָקְנְעָ֖ם יָקְנְעָֽם׃ יָקְנֳעָ֥ם יקנעם יקנעם׃ yā·qə·nə·‘ām yā·qə·no·‘ām yakeneAm yakenoAm yāqənə‘ām yāqəno‘āmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 12:22 HEB: אֶחָ֔ד מֶֽלֶךְ־ יָקְנֳעָ֥ם לַכַּרְמֶ֖ל אֶחָֽד׃ NAS: the king of Jokneam in Carmel, KJV: the king of Jokneam of Carmel, INT: one the king of Jokneam Carmel one Joshua 19:11 Joshua 21:34 3 Occurrences |
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