קַרְקֹר
𐤒𐤓𐤒𐤓
Qareqor
H7174 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Toponym: Qarqor — name of a specific settlement located east of the Jordan River. Used exclusively as a geographic proper noun in biblical literature, identifying a place in the context of military events involving Israelite adversaries.
Semantic Range
geographical proper name, settlement east of the Jordan
Root / Etymology
From root קוּר (qûr), which generally means 'to dig' or 'to bore.' The form קַרְקֹר (Qarqor) is a place name likely derived from this root, indicating some relationship to digging or excavation (potentially suggestive of a feature of the site), but the precise nuance as a toponym is not certain. The etymology remains somewhat speculative since the word does not appear elsewhere outside this place name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Qarqor is attested only in Judges 8:10, where it identifies a location east of the Jordan River, associated with the defeat of Midianite kings by Gideon. The site is not described in detail, and its precise location remains uncertain. In the context of Judges, it functions strictly as a place name and not as a common noun. Unlike other biblical settlement names, no theological or symbolic meaning is attached. English versions often simply transliterate the name, but some older translations imprecisely suggest 'foundation,' reflecting the possible root meaning rather than the word's function in the text. The usage is limited to the monarchic and pre-monarchic narrative setting. No shift in meaning is attested, and it is not used for populations or identities (e.g., not for Qarqorites or similar terms). No evidence links Qarqor to later Judean, Israelite, or ethnic identities.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from קוּר; foundation; Karkor, a place East of the Jordan; Karkor.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קור (q-w-r) — to dig, to bore, to excavate
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4726 | מָקוֹר | wellspring |
| H6979 | קוּר | she made a breach |
| H6980 | קוּר | their spider-webs |
| H6982 | קוֹרָה | the roof-beam |
| H7023 | קִיר | in the boundary-wall |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7174-01 |
בַּ/קַּרְקֹ֗ר | baqareqor | HRd/Np |
in Karkor | in Qarqor | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7174-01 |
Judges 8:10 | בַּ/קַּרְקֹ֗ר | baqareqor | HRd/Np |
in Karkor | in Qarqor |