Lexical Summary riqqua: Overlay, plating, hammered work Original Word: רִקֻּעַ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance broad From raqa'; beaten out, i.e. A (metallic) plate -- broad. see HEBREW raqa' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom raqa Definition expansion NASB Translation hammered (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [רִקּוּעַ] noun [masculine] expansion; — plural construct וְעָשׂוּ אֹתָם רִקֻּעֵי פַחִים Numbers 17:3 expansions of plates, i.e. they shall be beaten into broad plates. I. רקק (√of following; Arabic Topical Lexicon Word and Concept Overview רִקֻּעַ (riqquaʿ) denotes “hammered plating,” metal that has been beaten thin and laid over another surface. Though the noun appears only once (Numbers 16:38), the notion of hammered metal pervades Scripture (for example, the beaten gold of the tabernacle in Exodus 25:18 or Jeremiah 10:3–4). In every context the imagery communicates durability, dignity, and the intentional craftsmanship that characterizes divinely ordained worship. Historical Setting of Numbers 16:38 Numbers 16 records the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram against the God-ordained leadership of Moses and Aaron. When the earth swallowed the ringleaders and fire consumed the two hundred fifty men offering unauthorized incense, the censers of the offenders lay scattered among the ashes. The Lord commanded Moses: “Have Eleazar the priest remove the bronze censers from the blaze and scatter the fire far away, for the censers are holy. As for the censers of those sinners against their own lives, have them hammered into plates to overlay the altar…” (Numbers 16:37–38). The riqquaʿ, therefore, is the hammered bronze plating fashioned from vessels that had been misused in arrogant defiance of God’s order. Liturgical and Covenantal Implications 1. Perpetual Memorial: Verse 40 explains that the plating served “as a reminder to the children of Israel that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to burn incense before the LORD.” Every future generation that looked upon the altar covering would remember the cost of encroaching on priestly prerogatives. Theological and Moral Lessons • Divine Holiness and Justice: The fate of Korah’s faction and the transformation of their censers into riqquaʿ highlight the seriousness with which God guards His holiness (Hebrews 12:28–29). Typological and Christological Reflections The altar ultimately prefigures the cross, where judgment and atonement meet. The riqquaʿ derived from rebellious vessels now covering the altar suggests the way Christ’s sacrifice can transform what was once devoted to sin into an instrument of divine purpose (Colossians 1:21–22). Additionally, the bronze—often emblematic of judgment—overlaid the wood just as the righteousness of Christ covers believers (Isaiah 61:10). Practical Ministry Applications • Guard the Pattern of Worship: Pastors and ministry leaders must ensure that zeal is matched with obedience to Scripture (1 Timothy 4:13–16). Innovation unmoored from God’s directives risks repeating Korah’s error. Related Biblical Imagery and Themes • Beaten Gold of the Cherubim (Exodus 25:18): Like the riqquaʿ, beaten metal forms part of sacred furniture, emphasizing intentional craftsmanship in worship. Summary רִקֻּעַ in Numbers 16:38 captures a moment when judgment, mercy, and memorial converge. Hammered from censers misused in rebellion, the bronze plating permanently clad the altar, underscoring divine holiness and providing a tangible warning to future generations. The concept challenges believers to honor God’s prescribed order, marvel at His ability to repurpose what sin has marred, and keep alive the memory of His mighty acts for the edification of the community of faith. Forms and Transliterations רִקֻּעֵ֤י רקעי rikkuEi riq·qu·‘ê riqqu‘êLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 16:38 HEB: וְעָשׂ֨וּ אֹתָ֜ם רִקֻּעֵ֤י פַחִים֙ צִפּ֣וּי NAS: let them be made into hammered sheets KJV: let them make them broad plates INT: of their lives them be made hammered sheets A plating 1 Occurrence |
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be thin, also figurative be weak, slender, scanty, etc.; Ethiopic 
be thin, 
thin; Syriac 
Pa`el, Aph`el make thin, 
thin).