דׇּפְקָה (doph.qah)
doph.qah
Dophkah
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The noun dophqah, meaning "knocking," appears in only two verses of the Hebrew Bible, both within the itinerary of Israel’s journey through the wilderness (Numbers 33:19; Exodus 17:1). It designates a specific stopping place encountered after the desert of Sin. The name itself is onomatopoeic, evoking the sound of striking or knocking, which likely reflects a local feature or event associated with that location.
While the exact nature of this "knocking" remains unclear, scholars suggest it may refer to the sound of water being drawn from a well or rock, or perhaps the noise of encampment activities. This brief mention anchors the narrative in a tangible geography, reminding readers that the Israelites moved through real, named places during their forty years of wandering. The word serves as a small but concrete marker in the larger story of divine provision and guidance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Dophkah appears in the biblical record as a specific campsite during Israel’s journey through the wilderness. Its meaning, "knocking," likely refers to the sound of water being drawn from a well or rock, or perhaps the daily noise of setting up camp. This detail anchors the narrative in real geography, reminding us that God guided His people through tangible places with names and sounds.
For your faith, this word highlights the concrete nature of divine provision. Even in the desert, God met Israel’s needs at specific locations like Dophkah. It encourages trust that He knows the details of your journey, including the moments of rest and resource gathering along the way.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- from/ Dophka1×
- at/ Dophka1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִ/דָּפְקָ֑ה1×
- בְּ/דָפְקָֽה\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 33:12
They traveled from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah.
This verse marks Dophkah as a distinct stopping point after the wilderness of Sin, emphasizing its role in the structured itinerary of Israel's wanderings.
-
Numbers 33:13
They traveled from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush.
By listing Dophkah as the departure point for Alush, this verse reinforces the sequential nature of their journey and the specificity of each encampment.