תִּרְהָקָה
𐤕𐤓𐤄𐤒𐤄
Tirehaqah
H8640 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Tirhâqâh: a proper name denoting an individual, specifically a king of Kush (Nubia), noted historically as a major figure in the Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt. The word is used exclusively as a personal name in the Hebrew Bible, referring to the Kushite ruler who opposed Assyrian incursions into Egypt during the late 8th and early 7th centuries BCE. The semantic range is restricted to its referent as a personal name, without common noun or verb usage.
Semantic Range
personal name (king of Kush); the individual Tirhâqâh, ruler of Kushite Egypt
Root / Etymology
The name תִּרְהָקָה is of foreign, specifically Kushite (Nubian), origin. Etymology is uncertain in Hebrew; the form is a transliteration of an Egyptian or Kushite royal name (possibly Taharqa or Tarhaqa), integrated phonetically into Hebrew. The root is therefore considered 'foreign derivation.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name תִּרְהָקָה appears in 2 Kings 19:9 and Isaiah 37:9, solely as a proper name for the Kushite king. In its biblical context, Tirhâqâh is depicted as an active geopolitical figure, aligning with Assyrian and Egyptian chronologies that identify him with Taharqa, Pharaoh of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt and ruler over both Egypt and Kush (upper Nile valley, encompassing parts of modern Sudan). The use of 'king of Kush' in the biblical texts reflects his Nubian origin, in contrast to most Egyptian rulers of non-Kushite origin. English translations often simply transliterate the name; traditional renderings as 'king of Ethiopia' reflect the use of 'Kush' to denote the region south of Egypt (not the modern Ethiopian polity). The term does not carry religious or ethnic connotations beyond personal identification and geographic rule. Usage is historical and not descriptive of a broader class of people or objects. There is no significant semantic shift or extension beyond its historical referent in the Hebrew Bible. Use of the English term 'Ethiopian' is anachronistic and should be replaced by 'Kushite' for accuracy.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of foreign derivation; Tirhakah, a king of Kush; Tirhakah.
Bantu Hebrew
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תִּרְהָקָה (Tirhâqâh) — uncertain; foreign royal name
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8640-01 |
תִּרְהָ֤קָה | tirehaqah | HNp |
Tirhakah | Tirhaqah | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8640-01 |
2 Kings 19:9 | תִּרְהָ֤קָה | tirehaqah | HNp |
Tirhakah | Tirhaqah |
H8640-01 |
Isaiah 37:9 | תִּרְהָ֤קָה | tirehaqah | HNp |
Tirhakah | Tirhaqah |