Lexical Summary Yoqtheel: Joktheel Original Word: יָקְתְאֵל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Joktheel Probably from the same as Yaqeh and 'el; veneration of God (compare Yquwthiy'el); Joktheel, the name of a place in Palestine, and of one in Idumaea -- Joktheel. see HEBREW Yaqeh see HEBREW 'el see HEBREW Yquwthiy'el NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a city in Judah, also a city in Edom (the same as NH5554) NASB Translation Joktheel (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs יָקְתְאֵל proper name, of a location (according to Ol§ 277 k. 3 יקת is Imperfect from a √ קות, meaning dubious; possibly = יְקוּתִיאֵל q. v.; see Wetzst in DeIsa 3:703 f.) — 1 in the Shephelah of Judah Joshua 15:38, site unknown; ᵐ5 Ιακαρεηλ A Ιεκθαηλ, ᵐ5L Ιεχθαηλ. 2 name given to סֶלַע (= Petra) by King Amaziah, its captor 2 Kings 14:7; ᵐ5 Καθοηλ; A Ιεκθοηλ. Topical Lexicon Biblical SettingJoktheel appears twice in the Old Testament, each time in a different region and historical context. First, it is listed among the Shephelah towns allotted to Judah (Joshua 15:38), situating it in the lowland corridor between the Judean hill country and the Philistine plain. Second, the name is applied by King Amaziah of Judah to the Edomite fortress of Sela after his decisive victory in the Valley of Salt (2 Kings 14:7). Occurrences and Geographic Locations 1. Judah’s Shephelah (Joshua 15:38). The surrounding towns include Dilean and Mizpeh, suggesting a location south-west of Jerusalem, perhaps on the slopes that descend toward Philistia. While the precise site is unconfirmed archaeologically, its placement in the Shephelah aligns it with Judah’s agricultural and military buffer zone. 2. Edomite Highlands (2 Kings 14:7). Amaziah “struck down ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and took Sela in battle and renamed it Joktheel, as it is called to this day”. Sela (“rock”) is widely associated with the rugged escarpments east of the Arabah, often linked with the region of Petra. By renaming the fortress Joktheel, Amaziah proclaimed that the victory belonged to the LORD who subdues, not merely to Judah’s army. Historical Background • Period of the Conquest. In Joshua, Joktheel’s inclusion among Judah’s allotted towns signals Israel’s transition from nomadic encampment to settled inheritance. The fortified lowland towns served as a first line of defense against coastal incursions and as granaries for Israel’s food supply. • Reign of Amaziah (circa 796–767 BC). Amaziah’s campaign against Edom reversed earlier Judean losses (see 2 Chronicles 25:5-13). His success demonstrated covenant faithfulness—he “did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not like David his father” (2 Kings 14:3). Renaming Sela as Joktheel memorialized divine help, much like Samuel named Ebenezer (“stone of help”) after victory over the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:12). Theological Insights • Divine Subjugation. The name Joktheel, “the LORD subdues” or “God is able,” underscores a recurrent biblical theme: victory belongs to God, not to human might (Psalm 44:3; Zechariah 4:6). • Covenant Remembrance. By affixing the name to conquered territory, Israelite leaders etched theological testimony onto the landscape. Each time the name Joktheel was spoken, hearers were reminded of the LORD’s past faithfulness and present sovereignty. Lessons for Ministry • Memorializing God’s Work. Just as Amaziah renamed Sela, believers today can mark God’s deliverances—whether by testimonies, physical markers, or anniversaries—to inspire future generations (Joshua 4:6-7). • Guarding Frontiers. Joktheel in Judah’s lowlands illustrates the importance of strengthening spiritual “border towns”: small disciplines and local ministries that protect the larger community from encroaching compromise (Proverbs 4:23). • Correct Attribution. Amaziah initially relied on God for triumph over Edom yet later faltered by adopting Edomite idols (2 Chronicles 25:14-16). Ministry successes must continually be attributed to the LORD lest pride open the door to future defeat. Archaeological and Extrabiblical Correlations • Judah’s Shephelah Sites. Surveys at sites like Tel Lachish and Tel Zayit consistently reveal fortified Iron Age towns with Judean cultural markers, validating the biblical description of strategic lowland settlements. • Sela / Petra Region. Edomite highland strongholds exhibit evidence of Iron Age occupation preceding Nabataean Petra. Though Sela’s exact identification remains debated, the existence of an Edomite citadel captured by a Judean king accords with the biblical account. Summary Joktheel, whether a lowland village in Judah or a mountain fortress in Edom, stands as a testimony that the LORD subdues enemies and secures His people’s inheritance. Its dual occurrence—one tied to Israel’s initial land allotment, the other to a later revival of Judah’s fortunes—bookends centuries of history with the same unchanging truth: God is able to deliver, and His victories are to be remembered. Forms and Transliterations וְיָקְתְאֵֽל׃ ויקתאל׃ יָקְתְאֵ֔ל יקתאל veyaketeEl wə·yā·qə·ṯə·’êl wəyāqəṯə’êl yā·qə·ṯə·’êl yaketeEl yāqəṯə’êlLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 15:38 HEB: וְדִלְעָ֥ן וְהַמִּצְפֶּ֖ה וְיָקְתְאֵֽל׃ NAS: and Dilean and Mizpeh and Joktheel, KJV: And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel, INT: and Dilean and Mizpeh and Joktheel 2 Kings 14:7 2 Occurrences |
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