בֵּית עֵקֶד

𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤏𐤒𐤃

Bêyth ʻÊqed

H1044 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ב-י-ת, ע-ק-ד to build, house, enclose, bind, tie up

Definition

A proper noun referring to a specific location, most likely 'Sheep-Binding House' or 'Shearing House,' denoting a site used for gathering, binding, and shearing sheep. The term combines the notion of a building or enclosure set aside for the purpose of tying up sheep, particularly for shearing operations, and may refer to an established facility or notable geographic site associated with these activities.

Semantic Range

sheep-shearing place, house of binding, place of enclosure for livestock, named location Beth-Eked, site associated with sheep handling

Root / Etymology

Compound of בַּיִת (bayit, house, building, dwelling) and a derivative of עָקַד (ʿqd, to bind, tie up, especially of animals gathered for shearing or sacrifice). The compound form בֵּית עֵקֶד thus signifies a 'house/enclosure of binding.' The root עָקַד refers to the act of binding or tying, especially livestock, but the phrase as a whole is an idiomatic toponym.

Historical & Contextual Notes

בֵּית עֵקֶד (Bêyth ʿÊqed) is attested as a place name in 2 Kings 10:12, likely designating a location east of the Jordan associated with sheep-rearing activities, such as a shearing station or livestock enclosure. In biblical Israelite society, sheep shearing was a significant communal and economic event, and specialized sites for gathering and binding sheep were culturally and economically important. The term 'Beth Eked (of the shepherds)' in English translations reflects this functional designation, but preserves the original Hebrew place-name structure. The meaning is specific to this location and does not serve as a general noun for shearing houses elsewhere. Some English translations render later usage as 'shearing house,' but the reference is properly to a distinct named place, not a generic structure. Compared to related toponyms formed with בֵּית (such as בֵּית לֶחֶם "Bethlehem" or בֵּית אֵל "Bethel"), בֵּית עֵקֶד follows the standard form of Hebrew toponymy reflecting location and function. The element עֵקֶד occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible and its root is strongly tied to restraint or binding in contexts of animal handling or sacrifice. In post-biblical Hebrew, the term is not continued as a place name, nor does it become a generic for 'shearing shed.' Later usage is limited to discussion of biblical geography.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from בַּיִת and a derivative of עָקַד; house of (the) binding (for sheep-shearing); Beth-Eked, a place in Palestine; shearing house.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בנה (b-n-h) — to build, construct, establish (family)

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1004 בַּיִת in the houses
H1005 בַּיִת the built-house
H1006 בַּיִת the house
H1007 בֵּית אָוֶן house-of
H1008 בֵּית־אֵל in house of

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1044-01 בֵּֽית beyt HNp Beth house-of 2
H1044-02 עֵ֥קֶד eqed HNp -eked Binding-House 2

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1044-01 2 Kings 10:12 בֵּֽית beyt HNp Beth house-of
H1044-02 2 Kings 10:12 עֵ֥קֶד eqed HNp -eked Binding-House
H1044-01 2 Kings 10:14 בֵּֽית beyt HNp house of house-of
H1044-02 2 Kings 10:14 עֵ֗קֶד eqed HNp Eked Binding-House