Tekoa

In the Bible

• The wise woman: Joab summoned a wise woman from Tekoa and had her petition David to bring back Absalom (2 Samuel 14:1-20). After the woman presented a fabricated story, David permitted Absalom's return. The text notes, however, that "Joab put the words in her mouth" (2 Samuel 14:3).
• David's mighty men: Among David's mighty men was "Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite" (2 Samuel 23:26; 1 Chronicles 11:28).
• Fortified city: Rehoboam built Tekoa, along with Bethlehem and Etam, as a city for defense (2 Chronicles 11:5-6).
• Jehoshaphat's battle: Jehoshaphat went out into "the wilderness of Tekoa" to face the combined forces of Moab and Ammon. On that occasion he said, "Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established" (2 Chronicles 20:20).
• Hometown of Amos: The Book of Amos introduces its author as "Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa" (Amos 1:1).
• Jeremiah's warning: "Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem" (Jeremiah 6:1).
• Rebuilding the wall: After the return from exile, the men of Tekoa repaired two sections of the wall of Jerusalem. Their nobles, however, did not share in the work (Nehemiah 3:5, 3:27).
• The genealogies of 1 Chronicles record Ashur as "the father of Tekoa" (1 Chronicles 2:24; 4:5). Here "father" is commonly understood to mean the person who founded or governed the town.

Background

Tekoa lay in the highlands roughly 16 to 20 km (10 to 12 miles) south of Jerusalem. To the east the Judean wilderness stretches toward the Dead Sea. Scholars generally identify Tekoa with the modern ruins of Khirbet Tequ'a. Because it bordered the wilderness, the site was well suited to herding, and it also served as a strategic military post guarding the southern frontier.

The Hebrew name Teqoa resembles in sound a verb meaning "to blow (a trumpet)" or "to pitch (a tent)." Jeremiah 6:1 is known for its wordplay between "blow the trumpet" (tiq'u) and "Tekoa" (Teqoa).

Significance in Scripture as a Whole

The name Tekoa does not appear in the New Testament. The prophecies of Amos, a native of the town, are nevertheless quoted there. Stephen cited Amos 5:25-27 (Acts 7:42-43), and James quoted Amos 9:11-12 at the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:16-17). In this way Tekoa is connected to the source of prophecies that became a basis for the gospel's going to the Gentiles.

Interpretation and Debates

• Amos's social status: The word translated "herdman" (noqed) in Amos 1:1 is also used of Mesha king of Moab (2 Kings 3:4). Accordingly, some interpret Amos as an owner of considerable livestock, while the traditional understanding sees him as a poor shepherd.
• Sycamore cultivation: The "sycomore" of Amos 7:14 is understood to be the sycamore fig. Because this tree does not grow well in highlands such as Tekoa, some interpreters suggest that Amos also worked in the lowlands.
• Wisdom tradition: Some scholars, citing the "wise woman" of Tekoa and the wisdom-literature expressions in the Book of Amos, conjecture that Tekoa had a wisdom tradition. The text, however, does not state this directly.

In the Korean Church

In Korean church preaching, Tekoa usually appears in connection with Amos. His confession, "I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son" (Amos 7:14-15), is frequently used to emphasize that God called a man engaged in an ordinary livelihood to be a prophet.