קַרְקַע
𐤒𐤓𐤒𐤏
Qareqa
H7173 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun: Qarqa‘ — a place name referring to a specific geographic location on the southern border of the territory allotted to the tribe of Judah in the Hebrew Bible; rare noun form may denote 'ground floor, lowest ground,' though as a place name its sense is locational.
Semantic Range
Qarqa‘ (proper name, town on the southern border of Judah); (rare, elsewhere) ground, ground-floor, lowest level
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root ק־ר־ע (קרע), commonly meaning 'to tear, rend.' The form קַרְקַע seems to reflect a reduplicated pattern, possibly intensifying or establishing a topographical nuance. However, the direct derivation of the proper noun as a place name from this root is debated, and the precise etymology remains uncertain. In other uses, קַרְקַע as a common noun may indicate 'ground floor' or 'lowest part of ground.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, 'Qarqa‘' occurs solely as a place name in Joshua 15:3, describing a point on Judah's southern boundary. The location of Qarqa‘ is uncertain today, though its context suggests an area near the Negev or near Edomite territory. The related word קַרְקַע appears elsewhere as a rare term for the 'ground floor' or 'earth,' but this sense is distinct from the proper name Qarqa‘. English translations often leave the name untranslated (Karka or Karkaa) or transliterate it. There is no evidence that this town retained Israelite or Judahite identity after the Iron Age; the use of the name is strictly geographic and biblical. Later translations and commentaries sometimes conflate it with general terms for 'ground,' but the evidence supports its understanding as a specific place name in the context of land allocations.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as קַרְקַע; ground-floor; Karka (with the article prefix), a place in Palestine; Karkaa.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קרע (q-r-ʿ) — tear, rend, cut apart
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7086 | קְעָרָה | the hollowed bowl |
| H7167 | קָרַע | I will tear her |
| H7168 | קֶרַע | torn pieces |
| H7172 | קַרְקַע | in the supporting-surface of |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7173-01 |
הַ/קַּרְקָֽעָ/ה | haqareqaah | HTd/Np/Sd |
to Karka | the Qarqaʿ | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7173-01 |
Joshua 15:3 | הַ/קַּרְקָֽעָ/ה | haqareqaah | HTd/Np/Sd |
to Karka | the Qarqaʿ |