חֲקוּפָא
𐤇𐤒𐤅𐤐𐤀
Chaqufa
H2709 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper name designating an individual or family group among the Nethinim, traditionally understood as temple servants or support personnel associated with temple operations, probably returned from exile. The name itself is of uncertain meaning, possibly, though not certainly, related to the idea of something 'bent' or 'crooked.' There is no evidence for other lexical senses beyond its use as a personal or family name.
Semantic Range
proper name (individual or family among Nethinim); possibly, by speculation, 'crooked' or 'bent' (uncertain)
Root / Etymology
Root uncertain. Traditionally compared with the root חָקַף (hypothetically meaning 'to bend, curve'), but this root is not attested elsewhere in Biblical Hebrew. The precise etymology and underlying meaning of the name חֲקוּפָא remain uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חֲקוּפָא appears only in post-exilic lists of returnees in Ezra 2:51 and Nehemiah 7:53, where this name occurs among groups called Nethinim or temple servants. These groups were distinct from Levites and probably functioned as a semi-hereditary servant class attached to the temple in the post-exilic period. The use of the name is confined to lists and does not refer to a geographical or occupational designation beyond identifying a clan or family. English translations (e.g., 'Hakupha') simply transliterate the name, which does not clarify its meaning. There is no association with religious or ethnic identity beyond the function of the Nethinim; see also related names in these lists with similarly obscure or rare forms.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root probably meaning to bend; crooked; Chakupha, one of the Nethinim; Hakupha.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חקף (ḥ-q-p) — uncertain; possibly to bend, curve
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2709-01 |
חֲקוּפָ֖א | chaqufa | HNp |
Hakupha | Chaqupha | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2709-01 |
Ezra 2:51 | חֲקוּפָ֖א | chaqufa | HNp |
Hakupha | Chaqupha |
H2709-01 |
Nehemiah 7:53 | חֲקוּפָ֖א | chaqufa | HNp |
Hakupha | Chaqupha |