2120. zocheleth
Lexical Summary
zocheleth: Serpent's Stone

Original Word: זֹחֶלֶת
Part of Speech: Proper Name Feminine
Transliteration: Zocheleth
Pronunciation: zoh-KHEH-leth
Phonetic Spelling: (zo-kheh'-leth)
KJV: Zoheleth
NASB: Zoheleth
Word Origin: [feminine active participle of H2119 (זָחַל - To crawl)]

1. crawling (i.e. serpent)
2. Zocheleth, a boundary stone in. Israel

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 Origin
fem. 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.
• It lay near the city’s main water source, allowing for sacrificial washing and feasting.
• It was a symbolic counterpoint to Gihon on the city’s north side, where Solomon would soon be anointed by Zadok and Nathan (1 Kings 1:38-39). Adonijah’s choice of Zoheleth underscores the sharp contrast between man-made ambition and God-ordained appointment.

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).
2. A lesson in immediacy versus permanence. Adonijah’s feast was short-lived; Solomon’s coronation, grounded in covenant promise, endured. Human schemes erode like the water-worn stone, but the King chosen by the Lord stands firm (Psalm 2:6).
3. A reminder of public visibility. Zoheleth lay in open view of Jerusalem. Sinful ambition often parades itself under the guise of worship, yet remains exposed to the scrutiny of God and His prophets (Proverbs 15:3).

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).
• Choose obedience over opportunity. Solomon waited in humility until summoned; Adonijah seized what was not given. Effective ministry follows God’s timing (John 3:27).
• Cultivate prophetic accountability. Nathan and Bathsheba interrupted Adonijah’s celebration, redirecting the kingdom to the rightful heir. Wise leaders welcome correction that aligns with Scripture (Galatians 2:11-14).

Related References

1 Kings 1; 2 Samuel 15:23; Psalm 110; Proverbs 27:2.

Forms and Transliterations
הַזֹּחֶ֔לֶת הזחלת haz·zō·ḥe·leṯ hazzoChelet hazzōḥeleṯ
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman'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

Strong's Hebrew 2120
1 Occurrence


haz·zō·ḥe·leṯ — 1 Occ.

2119b
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