דׇּפְקָה
𐤃𐤐𐤒𐤄
Dfeqah
H1850 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Dophqâh is a toponym designating a station or campsite listed among the Israelites’ journeying places in the wilderness (Num 33:12-13). The lexical meaning of the name is uncertain, but it is likely connected to the root meaning 'to knock, beat' or possibly a feature of the location, such as an area of striking (e.g., mining or pounding), though this is not certain. The primary function in the text is as a proper place name.
Semantic Range
place name, location, possibly 'place of knocking' or 'striking'; as a proper noun, its meaning is restricted to a station in the wilderness journey
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root ד-פ-ק (דָּפַק), meaning 'to knock, beat, strike.' דׇפְקָה is a feminine noun formation, but as a toponym its original referential sense (whether a feature, event, or metaphor) is not specifically known. The etymology is best understood as 'place of knocking/striking,' though this is speculative. Further association with mining or industrial activities is not directly supported by contextual evidence, and the naming rationale remains uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Dophqâh is one of the waystations mentioned only in the wilderness journey itinerary in Numbers 33. No further historical, geographical, or archaeological detail is preserved in the biblical record about its location or significance. The possible association with the root 'to knock' has led some interpreters to suggest a connection with pounding, mining, or resource extraction, but this remains speculative and is not explicit in the biblical context. English translations usually transliterate the name or provide minimal annotation. There is no known usage of the term outside this context in the Hebrew Bible, nor in extrabiblical sources. The meaning and relevance of the root in the toponym may have been clear to ancient audiences but is now obscure.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from דָּפַק; a knock; Dophkah, a place in the Desert; Dophkah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
דפק (d-p-q) — to knock, beat, strike
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1849 | דָּפַק | knocking one |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1850-01 |
בְּ/דָפְקָֽה | bedafeqah | HR/Np |
at Dophkah | in Knock-Place | 1 |
H1850-02 |
מִ/דָּפְקָ֑ה | midafeqah | HR/Np |
from Dophkah | from Knocking-Place | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1850-01 |
Numbers 33:12 | בְּ/דָפְקָֽה | bedafeqah | HR/Np |
at Dophkah | in Knock-Place |
H1850-02 |
Numbers 33:13 | מִ/דָּפְקָ֑ה | midafeqah | HR/Np |
from Dophkah | from Knocking-Place |