Rekem

At a Glance

Biblical proper name with multiple referents.

Key Points

• A Midianite king named Rekem appears in Numbers 31:8.
• A Judahite descendant named Rekem appears in 1 Chronicles 2:43.
• A town named Rekem appears in Joshua 18:27.
• Context determines which referent is in view.

Description

Rekem is a Hebrew proper name used in the Old Testament for more than one referent. It appears as the name of a Midianite king in Numbers 31:8, as the name of a descendant in Judah’s genealogical record in 1 Chronicles 2:43, and as the name of a town in Benjamin’s territorial list in Joshua 18:27. The entry is therefore best classified as a biblical proper name rather than a theological term. Readers should interpret each occurrence in light of its immediate context and not assume that every use refers to the same person or place.

Biblical Context

In Scripture, names can be shared by different people and places. Rekem is one of those names, occurring in both narrative and genealogical or geographical settings. The biblical text uses the name for a Midianite ruler, a family line in Judah, and a town in Benjamin.

Historical Context

The appearance of Rekem as both a personal and place name reflects common ancient naming practices. In the Old Testament world, the same name could be reused across tribes, regions, and generations without implying identity between the referents.

Jewish and Ancient Context

Ancient Israelite genealogies and territorial lists often preserve names that were meaningful within clan, tribal, or regional memory. Rekem belongs to that pattern: a shared name attached to different people and a settlement in the land lists.

Primary Key Texts

• Numbers 31:8
• Joshua 18:27
• 1 Chronicles 2:43

Secondary Key Texts

• 1 Chronicles 7:16 (possible additional personal name context, if distinguished by edition/translation)
• related genealogical and territorial passages in Joshua and Chronicles

Original Language Note

Hebrew: רֶקֶם (Rekem), a transliterated proper name.

Theological Significance

Rekem itself is not a doctrine, but it illustrates the importance of reading Scripture carefully in context and recognizing that biblical names may refer to different people or places.

Philosophical Explanation

Proper names function as referential labels. In biblical study, the same label may point to different entities, so meaning is established by literary and historical context rather than by the name alone.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not assume that every occurrence of Rekem refers to the same individual. The name is used in more than one setting, and context is necessary to identify the referent.

Major Views

The main interpretive issue is not theological disagreement but identification of referents. Standard reading treats Rekem as a shared proper name used for distinct people and a place.

Doctrinal Boundaries

This entry should not be used to build doctrine. It is a name entry, not a theological term, and its significance is lexical and historical rather than doctrinal.

Practical Significance

Rekem reminds readers to pay attention to context when studying names in Scripture and to distinguish people, places, and repeated names accurately.

Related Entries

• Midian
• Benjamin
• Judah
• Joshua
• 1 Chronicles
• Numbers

See Also

• Proper names
• Biblical genealogies
• Tribal allotments
• Midianite kings