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שׂוֹכֹה

𐤔𐤅𐤊𐤄

Sokhoh

H7755 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שׂוּךְ to hedge, to enclose, to protect, to fence in

Definition

A place name referring to one or more specific towns in the southern and western regions of ancient Israelite territory. Sokoh/Soco/Sokho is attested as the name of at least two distinct sites in biblical tradition—one located in the Shephelah (lowland region) of Judah near the Valley of Elah, and another in the territory of the tribe of Judah or the region associated with Simeon. The name likely denotes an enclosed or protected place, possibly a fortified town or settlement.

Semantic Range

proper name of a city or settlement, fortified or enclosed place, specific geographical locations in Judahite and Simeonite territory

Root / Etymology

The word derives from the root שׂוּךְ (s-w-k), whose core meaning is 'to hedge, to enclose, to fence in.' The name 'Sokoh' thus originally signified a place that is enclosed or protected, which is fitting for a fortified settlement. The specific forms שׂוֹכֹה, שֹׂכֹה, and שׂוֹכוֹ reflect slight textual variation but share the same essential etymological basis.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, Sokoh is mentioned as a fortified city in the Shephelah of Judah (e.g., Joshua 15:35), most famously near the Elah Valley where the encounter between David and Goliath is situated (1 Samuel 17:1). It also appears as a town in the allotment lists for the tribes of Judah and Simeon, indicating either shared or contested boundaries. Archaeological identifications suggest two primary sites: Khirbet Shuweikeh (near modern day Khirbet Sokho) and another site farther south. The name is sometimes rendered variably in English translations due to differences in transliteration conventions (e.g., Socoh, Sokoh, Shochoh, Soko), which can confuse readers as to whether these are distinct locations or variant spellings. In the Septuagint and subsequent traditions, the term is sometimes rendered with later place names or Greek equivalents, and English versions occasionally use 'Shocho' or 'Shochoh.' The meaning as an 'enclosure' is consistent with the common practice of naming settlements after protective features. Later terminology such as "Jew" does not apply to the period when the site was inhabited by Israelites or Judahites. The term functions strictly as a toponym and does not carry religious or ethnic connotations beyond geographic location.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or שֹׂכֹה; or שׂוֹכוֹ; from שׂוּךְ; Sokoh or Soko, the name of two places in Palestine; Shocho, Shochoh, Sochoh, Soco, Socoh.

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Root Family

שוך (s-w-k) — to hedge, enclose, fence in, protect

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4881 מְשׂוּכָה like a thorn-hedge of

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7755-02 שׂוֹכֹ֖ה sokhoh HNp Socoh Enclosed-Place 4
H7755-01 שׂוֹכ֔וֹ sokho HNp Soco Enclosed Settlement 3
H7755-03 וְ/שׂוֹכֹֽה vesokhoh HC/Np and Socoh And Enclosed-Place 1

Occurrences in Scripture

8 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7755-02 Joshua 15:35 שׂוֹכֹ֖ה sokhoh HNp Socoh Enclosed-Place
H7755-03 Joshua 15:48 וְ/שׂוֹכֹֽה vesokhoh HC/Np and Socoh And Enclosed-Place
H7755-02 1 Samuel 17:1 שֹׂכֹ֖ה sokhoh HNp at Socoh Enclosed-Place
H7755-02 1 Samuel 17:1 שׂוֹכֹ֥ה sokhoh-2 HNp Socoh Enclosed-Place
H7755-02 1 Kings 4:10 שֹׂכֹ֖ה sokhoh HNp Socoh Enclosed-Place
H7755-01 1 Chronicles 4:18 שׂוֹכ֔וֹ sokho HNp Soco Enclosed Settlement
H7755-01 2 Chronicles 11:7 שׂוֹכ֖וֹ sokho HNp Soco Enclosed Settlement
H7755-01 2 Chronicles 28:18 שׂוֹכ֤וֹ sokho HNp Soco Enclosed Settlement
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