tekoa Summary and Overview

TEKO'A and TEKO'AH (pitching of tents), a city on the borders of the desert to which it gave its name: "The wilderness of Tekoah." 2 Chr 20:20; Jer 6:1. It was colonized by Asher, 1 Chr 2:24; 1 Chr 4:5; fortified by Rehoboam. 2 Chr 11:6. The "wise woman" who interceded for Absalom resided here, 2 Sam 14:2, 2 Sam 14:4, 2 Sam 14:9, and here also was the birthplace and residence of the prophet Amos. Am 1:1. Tekoa was situated about 5 miles south of Bethlehem, at a place still called Tek'na, on a broad hilltop. The region is bleak and desolate, and the inhabitants wild and uncivil. There is a fine view toward the east, and the Dead Sea is visible. "The ruins at this place are extensive [covering 4 or 5 acres], but uninteresting. To the east are many excavated caves and cisterns, but the town itself is simply a heap of ruins, the stones of which are small and friable." There are ruins of a Greek church and baptismal font and of a fortress.

2 Samuel 14:2. A town of Judah (2 Chronicles 11:6). Six Roman miles from Bethlehem, (to the S.E.,) which was six miles S. of Jerusalem. Tekoa was thus 12 from Jerusalem (Eusebius), but only nine by a shorter route (Jerome). The wise woman whom Joab suborned to persuade David to restore Absalom belonged to Tekoa (2 Samuel 14). Rehoboam fortified it (2 Chronicles 11:6). It was Amos' birthplace. Jeremiah, warning Judah to flee southward from the enemy advancing from the N. (Jeremiah 6:1), plays upon the sound tikehu Tekoa, "blow the trumpet in Tekoa." The derivation taaqa' "to strike" alludes to the stakes struck into the ground to secure the tents of the shepherds who roamed in "the wilderness of Tekoa," which was E. of the town or cluster of pastoral tents. Ira, one of David's thirty mighties, was a Tekoite (2 Samuel 23:26). The Tekoites repaired the wall under Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:5; Nehemiah 3:27); but "their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord." Contrast Nehemiah 4:6, "the people had a mind to work" (Judges 5:28; Colossians 3:28). Amos' familiarity with the Tekoa desert and the danger of a shepherd's life affected his style. (See AMOS.) In the lists of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:24; 1 Chronicles 4:5) Ashur, Hezron's posthumous son and Caleb's brother, is mentioned as father, i.e. founder or prince, of Tekoa. Now Teku'a; within sight of "the Frank mountain," the site of Herod's castle, formerly Bethhaccerem; broken columns, heaps of bevelled stones, cisterns,and square foundations of houses, mark the site which is on a broad topped hill, with the remains of a square tower at the N.E.; it commands the view of the level range of the Moabite mountains, affording frequent glimpses of the Dead Sea. (See BETHHACCEREM.)