H2999 H2999
Jabbok, a river in Transjordan (modern Zarqa) serving as a territorial boundary and the site of Jacob's wrestling
The Jabbok (Yabboq) is one of the most geographically and theologically significant rivers east of the Jordan. It is where Jacob wrestled through the night with a divine being before reuniting with Esau (Gen 32:22), an episode that gave Jacob his new name Israel. Beyond this dramatic encounter, the Jabbok repeatedly appears as a boundary marker — the northern limit of Sihon's Amorite kingdom and the western edge of Ammonite territory (Num 21:24; Deut 2:37; 3:16; Josh 12:2; Judg 11:13, 22). Today it is identified with the Zarqa River.
Senses
1. Jabbok, river in Transjordan — The proper river name Jabbok (יַבֹּק), the Transjordanian tributary of the Jordan identified with the modern Zarqa River. It carries both narrative and geopolitical significance: the site of Jacob's night-long wrestling with God at the ford (Gen 32:22-23), and repeatedly cited as the boundary between Amorite, Ammonite, and Israelite territories (Num 21:24; Deut 2:37; 3:16; Josh 12:2). The name may pun on the root avaq 'to wrestle,' a wordplay the Genesis narrator seems to exploit. 7×
AR["الـ-يَبّوقِ", "يَبُوقَ", "يَبُّوقَ", "يَبّوقَ"]·ben["যব্বোক", "যব্বোকের", "সেই-যব্বোক"]·DE["Jabbok", "Yabbok", "der-Jabbok", "des-Jabbok"]·EN["Jabbok", "Yabbok", "the-Jabbok"]·FR["Jabbok", "Yabbok", "le-Jabbok"]·heb["ה-יבוק", "יבוק", "יבק"]·HI["यब्बोक", "यब्बोक-का"]·ID["Yabok", "sang-Yabok"]·IT["Iabbok", "Jabbok", "Yabbok", "il-Jabbok"]·jav["Yabok"]·KO["야복", "야복과", "얍복", "얍복의"]·PT["Jaboque", "Yabboq", "o-Yabboq"]·RU["Йаббок", "Йаббока", "Йавока", "Яббока", "Яввока"]·ES["Jaboc", "Yaboq", "el-Jaboc"]·SW["Yaboki", "cha-Yaboki"]·TR["Yabbok", "Yabbok'a", "Yabbuk'un"]·urd["یبوق", "یبّوق"]
Related Senses
H8033 1. There (locative adverb) (835×)H7760a 1. put, place, set physically (444×)H8064 1. heavens / sky (329×)H5439 1. around, all around (spatial) (319×)H4057b 1. wilderness, desert region (270×)H3220 1. sea, body of water (269×)H0520a 1. cubit (unit of length) (246×)H0127 1. ground, land (territory) (210×)H3383 1. Jordan River (proper noun) (183×)G1093 1. earth, the world (176×)H5800a 1. forsake, abandon (Qal active) (166×)H8121 1. sun (celestial body) (133×)H7126 1. offer, present sacrificially (122×)H6828 1. north, cardinal direction (120×)H2351 1. outside, exterior space (119×)H5104 1. river, stream (119×)H7341 1. width, breadth (101×)G1563 1. there (95×)H7126 2. draw near, approach (95×)G2281 1. sea, large body of water (91×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† יַבֹּק n.pr.fl. (√ prob. בקק; so Thes after Simonis, Sam. Di) מַעֲבַר (ה)יבק Gn 32:23 (where perhaps connected with אבק = יאבק); נַ֫חַל יַבּ׳ Dt 2:37, יַבּ׳ הַנַּחַל Dt 3:16 Jos 12:2, יַבֹּק Nu 21:24 (‖ אַרְנֹן, cf. Dt 3:16 Jos 12:2), הַיַּבֹּק Nu 11:13, 22 (in both, ‖ ארנון); it empties into Jordan from East, in latitude of Shechem; called (southern) boundary of Ammon Shiloh; N. border of…