Lexical Summary qubbah: Dome, vault Original Word: קֻבָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance tent From qabab; a pavilion (as a domed cavity) -- tent. see HEBREW qabab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as qab Definition a large vaulted tent NASB Translation tent (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs קֻבָּה noun feminine large vaulted tent; — absolute Numbers 25:8 (P) Ke and others Zimri's princely tent; > Thes and others large tent used as lupanar (compare Late Hebrew). Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrence The term appears a single time in the Old Testament, at Numbers 25:8, where the Berean Standard Bible reads, “and he followed the Israelite into the tent and drove the spear through both of them—the Israelite and the woman—through her belly. Then the plague against the Israelites was halted.” Historical Setting Numbers 25 finds Israel camped at Shittim shortly before entering the Promised Land. Seduced by Moabite and Midianite women, many Israelites joined in idolatrous rites to Baal of Peor. The resulting plague had already claimed twenty-four thousand lives (Numbers 25:9) when Phinehas, grandson of Aaron, acted decisively. The lone appearance of קֻבָּה forms part of this crisis narrative, locating the sin and its judgment in an interior pavilion—a stark contrast to the holiness required of a nation called to dwell with the living God. Narrative Function The word serves more than a spatial reference. By drawing attention to a secluded enclave within an otherwise public camp, Scripture exposes the presumption of Zimri and Cozbi. Their blatant defilement occurs in what should have been a place of privacy and protection, highlighting how sin corrupts even the most intimate spaces. Phinehas’s entry, spear in hand, demonstrates that zeal for covenant fidelity must penetrate those hidden realms when God’s honor is at stake. Theological Themes 1. Holiness versus Profanation. The inner recess of the camp becomes a battleground between covenant purity and pagan impurity. Phinehas’s act upholds the demand, “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Cultural Background Nomadic peoples often fitted their tents with inner alcoves for privacy, sometimes screened off by richly woven hangings. Such compartments could be associated with feminine quarters (compare Judges 4:17-22). That Zimri brings a Midianite princess into this space demonstrates a deliberate flouting of Israel’s social and religious boundaries. Ministry Applications • Confront Hidden Compromise. Leaders are called to address sin that festers out of sight, guarding the flock from larger discipline (Acts 20:28). Related Biblical Motifs Hidden chambers (2 Kings 9:2), inner rooms (Song of Solomon 1:4), and even the Most Holy Place itself illustrate that secluded spaces can be venues of either divine encounter or grave transgression. קֻבָּה therefore invites reflection on whether the private arenas of life honor or offend the God who “searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought” (1 Chronicles 28:9). Forms and Transliterations הַקֻּבָּ֗ה הקבה hakkubBah haq·qub·bāh haqqubbāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 25:8 HEB: יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־ הַקֻּבָּ֗ה וַיִּדְקֹר֙ אֶת־ NAS: of Israel into the tent and pierced KJV: of Israel into the tent, and thrust INT: of Israel through the tent and pierced both 1 Occurrence |
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