Lexical Summary Reqem: Reqem Original Word: רֶקֶם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Rekem From raqam; versi-color; Rekem, the name of a place in Palestine, also of a Midianite and an Israelite -- Rekem. see HEBREW raqam NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom raqam Definition "having many colors," a Midianite king, also two Isr., also a city in Benjamin NASB Translation Rakem (1), Rekem (5). Brown-Driver-Briggs רֶ֫קֶם proper name 1. masculine a. a king of Midian Numbers 31:8 (Ροκομ), Joshua 13:21 (Ροβοκ, A Ροκομ, ᵐ5 Οροκομ). b. a 'son' of Hebron 1 Chronicles 2:43,44, Ρεκομ, Ροκομ, Ρωκημ. c. name in Gilead 1 Chronicles 7:16, ᵐ5L Ρακαμ. 2. location in Benjamin, Joshua 18:27, Νακαν, A ᵐ5L Ρεκεμ[ν]. Topical Lexicon Overview Rekem (רֶקֶם, Strong’s Hebrew 7552) appears six times in the Old Testament and functions in three distinct ways: 1. A Midianite king slain during Israel’s wilderness wars (Numbers 31:8; Joshua 13:21). Rekem the Midianite King Numbers 31:8 records Israel’s divinely commanded vengeance on Midian: “They struck down the kings of Midian… Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba…the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword”. Rekem represents Midian’s leadership that had seduced Israel into idolatry (Numbers 25). His death testifies to the certainty of divine judgment on those who attempt to corrupt God’s covenant people. Joshua 13:21 revisits the same victory as the tribes prepare to settle Canaan, underlining the completeness of Moses’ earlier obedience and God’s faithfulness in removing hostile powers. Ministry significance: Rekem’s downfall illustrates the destructive nature of spiritual compromise and the necessity of decisive action against sin. It offers a vivid narrative backdrop for preaching on holiness, warning against the allure of syncretism, and highlighting the shepherding responsibility of leaders. Rekem the Benjaminite Town Joshua 18:27 lists Rekem among the settlements allotted to Benjamin: “Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah…”. Positioned in the rugged central hill country, the town’s placement within Benjamin’s inheritance witnesses to the tribe’s strategically located yet contested territory between Ephraim and Judah. Though Scripture preserves no further accounts about the town, its inclusion affirms that every locality—even one mentioned only once—possesses covenantal significance, being measured and assigned by divine lot (Joshua 18:8–10). Pastoral insight: Rekem’s single-verse appearance reminds believers that God knows and values places and people obscured to history. Obscurity in human records never equates to insignificance in God’s redemptive economy. Rekem in Judah’s Genealogy 1 Chronicles 2:43–44 traces Judah’s line: “The sons of Hebron: Korah, Tappuah, Rekem, and Shema. Shema was the father of Raham… and Rekem was the father of Shammai”. The Chronicler writes post-exile to encourage a returned remnant. By naming Rekem twice, the genealogy shows that the tribe of Judah contained numerous, otherwise unknown households woven into the messianic ancestry. Devotional application: Genealogical notes such as Rekem’s proclaim the continuity of God’s promises. Generations come and go, yet each link matters in preserving the line through which the Savior would enter history (Matthew 1). Rekem among the Descendants of Manasseh In 1 Chronicles 7:16, a different Rekem surfaces in the family of Machir, son of Manasseh: “Maacah…gave birth to a son, and she called his name Peresh; his brother was named Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rakem”. This brief mention demonstrates the breadth of Israel’s tribal branches and the Chronicler’s concern to honor both major and minor clans that comprised the restored nation. Teaching moment: The multiplicity of men named Rekem in varied tribes underscores the unity-in-diversity theme of God’s people. Identity rests not merely in tribal origin but in participation in the covenant community gathered around the Lord. Possible Historical Echoes Jewish tradition later applied the name “Rekem” to Petra, the Nabataean stronghold in Edom. While the Old Testament usage does not confirm that association, the tradition illustrates how biblical place-names could be preserved in regional memory. If the link is correct, Rekem would connect Israel’s account with broader trans-Jordan trade routes, highlighting how geography, commerce, and covenant history intersected. Thematic Summary 1. Divine judgment on corrupting influences (the Midianite Rekem). Collectively, the six references to Rekem proclaim God’s sovereignty over nations, land, and generations. The name surfaces at key junctures—warfare, settlement, genealogy—inviting reflection on the Lord’s meticulous governance of both the grand and the granular aspects of redemptive history. Forms and Transliterations וְרֶ֖קֶם וְרֶ֥קֶם וָרָֽקֶם׃ ורקם ורקם׃ רֶ֙קֶם֙ רקם re·qem rekem reqem vaRakem veRekem wā·rā·qem wārāqem wə·re·qem wəreqemLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 31:8 HEB: אֱוִ֤י וְאֶת־ רֶ֙קֶם֙ וְאֶת־ צ֤וּר NAS: Evi and Rekem and Zur KJV: [namely], Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, INT: their slain Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur Joshua 13:21 Joshua 18:27 1 Chronicles 2:43 1 Chronicles 2:44 1 Chronicles 7:16 6 Occurrences |
    |