סַבְתְּכָא (sav.te.kah)
sav.te.kah
Sabteca
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
Sabteca appears in the Hebrew Bible as a proper name, identifying one of the sons of Cush. The word occurs only twice, in Genesis 10:7 and 1 Chronicles 1:9, within the genealogical records that trace the descendants of Noah’s son Ham.
Lexical sources define Sabteca as meaning "striking." He is listed as the fifth son of Cush, making him a brother to figures like Seba, Havilah, and Nimrod. These names represent ancient peoples or regions associated with the land of Cush, often identified with areas south of Egypt.
Because the text uses this name solely in lists of ancestry, its theological weight lies in its structure rather than narrative action. It highlights the breadth of early human families as recorded in Scripture, connecting distant generations through simple, factual lineage without further commentary or story.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Names in Scripture often feel distant, like stones in a long wall we cannot quite touch. When we read lists of ancestors, it is easy to skip over names that do not appear elsewhere. Yet these records show us that every person and family was known and recorded by God. Sabteca, listed among the sons of Cush, reminds us that history is not just about famous leaders but also about ordinary lines that stretch back through time.
This word appears only twice in the Bible, serving as a quiet marker of lineage rather than a call to action. Its presence in both Genesis and Chronicles confirms the reliability of these ancient records. For your faith, this offers comfort: God keeps track of details. Even names that seem minor are part of His broader story of humanity.
When you encounter such lists, consider them as evidence of God’s care for order and memory. You do not need to know every detail of history to trust the One who holds it. These records invite us to rest in the certainty that our lives, too, are held within a divine narrative that values every connection.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ Sabteca2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/סַבְתְּכָ֑א2×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 10:7
The sons of Cush were: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah were: Sheba and Dedan.
This verse places Sabteca in the foundational Table of Nations, showing his role as part of the early expansion of human families after the flood.
-
I Chronicles 1:9
The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama, Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.
The repetition here confirms the stability of the genealogical tradition, linking the post-exilic community back to their ancestral roots with precision.