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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadMcClintock Biblical Encyclopedia: Rekem
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(Heb. id. øֶ÷ֶí , variegation, or perhaps i.q. Regem), the name of three men, and of a city.
1. (Sept. ῾Ñïêüì ; A.V. Rakem, the name being “in pause,” ø ÷ֶí .) Brother of Ulam, and a descendant of Machir, the son of Manasseh, by his wife Maachah; .apparently a son of Sheresh (1Ch_7:16). B.C. ante 1619.
2. (Sept. ῾Ñïêüì v.r. ῾Ñåêüì .) One of the five kings of the Midianites slain by the Israelites along with Balaam (Num_31:8; Jos_13:21). B.C. 1618.
3. (Sept. ῾Ñïêüì , ῾ÑáÝì , v. r. ῾Ñåêüì .) The third named of the four sons of Hebron, and father of Shammai, of the tribe of Judah (1Ch_2:43-44). B.C. post 1618. “In this genealogy it is extremely difficult to separate the names of persons from those of places. Ziph, Mareshah, Tappuah, Hebron, are all names of places, as well as Maon and Beth-zur. In Jos_18:27, Rekem appears as a town of Benjamin, and perhaps this genealogy may be intended, to indicate that it was founded by a colony from Hebron”
4. (Sept. ῾ÑÝêåì ) A city in the territory of Benjamin, mentioned between Mozah and Irpeel (Jos_18:27). Josephus, in speaking of the Midianitish kings slain by Moses (Ant. 4:7:1), mentions a city named after Rekem (No. 2, above), which was the chief city of all Arabia, and was called Á᾿ñåêÝìç , Areceme, by the Arabians, but Petra by the Greeks. This is, of course, different from the Rekem of Benjamin. As the latter is in the group situated in the south-west quarter of the tribe, the site was possibly that of the present ruins called Deir Yesit, about three miles west of Jerusalem (Robinson, Researches, ii, 141; Badeker, Palastina, p. 288).