בׇּצְקַת (bots.qat)
bots.qat
Bozkath
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
Bozkath is a place name appearing only twice in the Hebrew Bible: in Joshua 15:39 as one of the cities in the lowlands of Judah, and in II Kings 23:35 where it is noted as the residence of Josiah’s mother, Zeidah. The etymology suggests "rocky height," reflecting its geographical character in a region marked by rugged terrain.
Its limited occurrence highlights how even minor locations serve as anchors for biblical history. By identifying Bozkath as Josiah’s home, the text grounds the reforming king’s personal background in a specific, tangible setting within Judah’s borderlands, reminding readers that significant figures emerge from defined places.
Translators typically render this name phonetically as Bozkath or Boscath. The word itself carries no theological weight beyond its function as a historical marker, yet it reminds us that the biblical narrative is woven through real towns and hills, not just abstract ideas.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Bozkath appears only twice in Scripture, yet it anchors two distinct moments in biblical history. In Joshua 15:39, it marks a specific location within the territory allotted to Judah. This simple geographical note reminds us that God’s promises were fulfilled in real places with real names, grounding the Israelite experience in tangible reality.
The second mention connects Bozkath to King Josiah’s mother, Jedidah. By identifying her origin, the text highlights how personal backgrounds shape public leadership. Josiah’s reforms did not emerge in a vacuum but from a specific community and lineage. This detail invites us to consider how our own roots and communities contribute to the stories God is writing through our lives.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- from/ Bozkath1×
- and/ Bozkath1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִ/בָּצְקַֽת\׃1×
- וּ/בָצְקַ֖ת1×
Key Verses
-
Joshua 15:39
Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,
This verse lists Bozkath among the cities of Judah's lowlands, confirming its role as a settled community within the tribal inheritance.
-
II Kings 22:1
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.
This reference identifies Bozkath as the hometown of King Josiah’s mother, linking the place to the lineage of a significant reforming king.