Lexical Summary zocheleth: Serpent's Stone Original Word: זֹחֶלֶת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Zoheleth Feminine active participle of zachal; crawling (i.e. Serpent); Zocheleth, a boundary stone in. Palestine -- Zoheleth. see HEBREW zachal NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfem. active participle of zachal Definition a crawling thing, serpent NASB Translation Zoheleth (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs זֹחֶ֫לֶת noun feminine meaning dubious; perhaps crawling thing, serpent (WeSkizzen iii. 171 cites Arabic Zu—al = Saturn, in connection with 1 Kings 1:9; compare Lane & Wetzst in DeHiob 2, 428 on view that Zu—al = he who withdraws, because of planet Saturn's remoteness) — only with article, in designated location עִם אֶבֶן הַזֹּחֶלֶת 1 Kings 1:9 (compare אֶבֶן near the end) Topical Lexicon Name and Meaning Zoheleth (“slithering, crawling thing”) is the name given to a notable rock in the Kidron Valley. While the root suggests the undulating motion of a serpent or lizard, Scripture associates the term with a fixed landmark rather than an animal. Biblical Occurrence • 1 Kings 1:9 – “Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel…” Geographical Setting Zoheleth stood on the eastern slope of Jerusalem, just south of the city walls, near the confluence of the Kidron and Hinnom valleys and adjacent to the spring of En Rogel. Pilgrims could easily reach the spot by descending from the city’s southern gate. The Kidron ravine funnels runoff from the Judean hills; a stone situated there would be smoothed by centuries of water flow, perhaps explaining the name’s allusion to a writhing motion. Historical Background Adonijah—the fourth son of David—staged his self-coronation beside Zoheleth while David lay dying. By gathering there he attempted to replicate the royal rituals that had attended earlier successions: • The place was outside the city but within sight of Zion, enabling a sizable crowd without alarming the palace guard. Theological and Devotional Insights 1. A witness to misplaced worship. The stone became an altar of convenience for a prince who sought power without divine sanction. It warns against presuming on sacred rites while neglecting God’s explicit will (Numbers 16; Hebrews 5:4). Lessons for Ministry and Personal Application • Guard the motives of service. Ritual, location, and supportive crowds cannot substitute for a heart submitted to the Lord (1 Samuel 16:7). Related References 1 Kings 1; 2 Samuel 15:23; Psalm 110; Proverbs 27:2. Forms and Transliterations הַזֹּחֶ֔לֶת הזחלת haz·zō·ḥe·leṯ hazzoChelet hazzōḥeleṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 1:9 HEB: עִ֚ם אֶ֣בֶן הַזֹּחֶ֔לֶת אֲשֶׁר־ אֵ֖צֶל NAS: by the stone of Zoheleth, which KJV: by the stone of Zoheleth, which [is] by INT: by the stone of Zoheleth which is beside 1 Occurrence |
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