Thecoa

D12 on the Map

Tequ` in Judah. Tekoa in Hebrew probably means "trumpet clang". A town in Judah, about 6 miles S of Bethlehem and on the range of hills that rise near Hebron and stretch toward the Dead Sea. By the "wilderness of Tekoa" (2 Chron 20:20; 1 Macc. 9:33) was the region E of the town.

Tekoa is first mentioned in the biblical account (2 Sam 14:2,4,9) of Joab's employing a "wise woman" residing there to reconcile with David and Absalom. Here also Ira the son of Ikkesh, one of David's thirty "mighty men," was born, and therefore was called "the Tekoite" (23:26). Tekoa was one of the places fortified by Rehoboam at the beginning of his reign to prevent an invasion from the S (2 Chron 11:6). People from Tekoa took part in building the walls of Jerusalem after the captivity (Neh 3:5,27). Jeremiah preached (Jer 6:1), "Now blow a trumpet in Tekoa, and raise a signal over Beth-haccerem," both signals warning of the enemy's approach. Tekoa was also the birthplace of Amos (Amos 1:1), and it was here when he was called to be a prophet of God.

Tekoa is now called Tequ` and is a ruined site, showing many Hebrew traces.

2 Sam. 14:2 ff; 1 Chr. 2:24; Amos 1:1; Jer. 6:1; 2 Chr. 20:20; 1 Macc. 9:33.