Lexical Summary
Azeqah: Azeqah
Original Word:עֲזֵקָה
Part of Speech:Proper Name Location
Transliteration:`Azeqah
Pronunciation:ah-zay-KAH
Phonetic Spelling:(az-ay-kaw')
KJV: Azekah
NASB:Azekah
Word Origin:[fromH5823 (עָזַק - dug it all around)]
1. tilled
2. Azekah, a place in Israel
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Azekah
Fromazaq; tilled; Azekah, a place in Palestine -- Azekah.
see HEBREWazaq
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
azaqDefinitiona place in Judah
NASB TranslationAzekah (7).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
, in the Shephelah of Judah, near ,
Joshua 10:10,11 (JE),
Joshua 15:35 (P),
1 Samuel 17:1;
Jeremiah 34:7; 2Chronicles 11:9;
Nehemiah 11:30; not identified.
Topical Lexicon
Geographical SettingAzekah was a fortified city situated in the Shephelah—the low foothills that rise from the Philistine plain toward the Judean highlands. Its location south-west of Jerusalem placed it astride the natural corridor that linked the coastal highway to the interior hill country. The city’s prominent tell overlooks the Valley of Elah to the east and the Valley of Aijalon to the north, granting a commanding view of routes that invading armies repeatedly used.
Role in Joshua’s Conquest
Joshua 10 twice names Azekah while narrating Israel’s pursuit of the southern coalition of Amorite kings. After the miraculous all-night march from Gilgal, “the LORD threw them into confusion before Israel… and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah” (Joshua 10:10). Soon afterward, as the routed enemy fled the descent of Beth-horon, “the LORD hurled down large hailstones from the sky… more of the enemies died from the hailstones than were killed by the Israelites with the sword” (Joshua 10:11). Azekah thus stands as a geographic marker of the divine victory that broke Canaanite resistance in the south. The events frame the city on the frontier between God’s covenant people and the powers they displaced.
Allocation within Judah
Following conquest, Azekah appears in the tribal list of Judah (Joshua 15:35). Its inclusion among towns of the Shephelah underlines Judah’s responsibility to guard the borderlands against Philistine pressure. Together with neighboring Socoh, Adullam, and Mareshah, Azekah formed a defensive chain that protected interior Judean settlements and, ultimately, Jerusalem.
Setting of David’s Triumph over Goliath
The most remembered reference places Azekah near the encampments of Israel and Philistia before David’s confrontation with Goliath. “The Philistines gathered their forces for war… they camped at Socoh in Judah and pitched camp between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim” (1 Samuel 17:1). Azekah here defines the eastern flank of Philistine deployment. The narrative’s geography underscores that the contest was not merely a duel but a clash for control of the Shephelah corridor. David’s victory prevented the Philistines from penetrating beyond the line anchored by Azekah, preserving Judah’s heartland.
Fortification under Rehoboam
In response to the threat posed by Shishak of Egypt, King Rehoboam fortified key cities: “He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa… Lachish, Azekah” (2 Chronicles 11:6–9). The Chronicler lists thirteen strongholds, with Azekah among the westernmost. Its strengthening secured Judah’s vulnerable frontier after the schism with the northern kingdom, showing how covenant unfaithfulness had tangible geopolitical costs that demanded new defenses.
Resettlement after the Exile
Nehemiah records that returning exiles “lived in… Zanoah, Adullam and their villages, in Lachish and its fields, and in Azekah and its settlements” (Nehemiah 11:30). Repopulating Azekah testified to God’s faithfulness in restoring both land and people. Reoccupation of this Shephelah site re-established Judah’s protective belt and fulfilled prophetic promises of return.
Prophetic Warning under Jeremiah
During the final siege of Jerusalem, Jeremiah mentioned Azekah and Lachish as “the only cities of Judah left fortified” (Jeremiah 34:7). The statement is poignant: fortresses that once symbolized security now spotlight Judah’s near-total collapse. Archaeological discovery of the “Lachish Letters” echoes this moment; one ostracon laments that the signal fires of Azekah are no longer visible, implying its fall to Babylon. Jeremiah’s reference thus frames Azekah as a last embattled witness to covenant breach and forthcoming exile.
Archaeological Corroboration
Tell Zakariya, widely identified as Azekah, shows continuous occupation from the Bronze Age through the Hellenistic period. Excavations have exposed massive fortification walls, eighth-century B.C. siege ramps, and destruction layers consistent with Sennacherib’s campaign. Burn lines and arrowheads attest to intense conflict, aligning with Biblical portrayals of Azekah as a contested stronghold. Pottery typologies and inscriptional finds corroborate its role in Judah’s administrative network.
Theological and Ministry Insights
1. Strategic stewardship. God positioned Judah with cities like Azekah to steward border regions. Believers today likewise guard the frontiers of truth and holiness in a culture that pressures the covenant community.
2. Divine intervention in earthly battles. Azekah’s earliest appearance mirrors God’s direct aid (hailstones) when His people walk in obedience. Victory in spiritual warfare still depends on divine power, not merely human preparation.
3. Evident consequences of disobedience. Jeremiah’s lament shows that fortifications cannot compensate for forsaken covenant obligations. Security flows from fidelity to God, not from structures or strategies alone.
4. Restoration and hope. Post-exilic resettlement of Azekah encourages confidence that God rebuilds lives and communities devastated by sin and judgment when they return to Him.
Summary
From the conquest under Joshua to the Babylonian siege, Azekah functions as a stage where God’s covenant with Judah is defended, betrayed, and ultimately restored. Its account calls the churches to vigilance on spiritual frontiers, humble reliance on the LORD of hosts, and hope in His redemptive fidelity.
Forms and Transliterations
וַעֲזֵקָֽה׃ ועזקה׃ עֲזֵקָ֔ה עֲזֵקָ֖ה עֲזֵקָֽה׃ עזקה עזקה׃ ‘ă·zê·qāh ‘ăzêqāh azeKah vaazeKah wa‘ăzêqāh wa·‘ă·zê·qāh
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