Original Word: פְקוֹד
Part of Speech: Proper Name
Transliteration: Pqowd
Pronunciation: peh-KODE
Phonetic Spelling: (pek-ode')
KJV: Pekod
NASB: Pekod
Word Origin: [from H6485 (פָּקַד - numbered)]

1. punishment
2. Pekod, a symbolic name for Babylonia

Pekod

From paqad; punishment; Pekod, a symbolic name for Bab. -- Pekod.

see HEBREW paqad

Word Origin
from paqad
Definition
a people in S.E. Bab.
NASB Translation
Pekod (2).

מְּקוֺד proper name, of a people and territory a people in Babylonian army Ezekiel 23:23 (Φακουκ; A και Φουδ); ׳יוֺשְׁבֵי פ Jeremiah 50:21; = Assyrian Pu‡ûdu, tribe in southeast Babylonia, bordering Elam Wkl^{Sargon i. 241} Schr^{COT Je} Dl^{Pa 240 f}.

Topical Overview

Pekod designates a tribal group and territory associated with Neo-Babylonia. Both times the name appears, it is embedded in prophetic oracles of judgment, making the word a vivid witness to the Lord’s sovereign governance of the nations.

Occurrences in Scripture

• Jeremiah 50:21 – “Go up against the land of Merathaim, and against the inhabitants of Pekod. Put them to the sword and devote them to destruction; do everything I have commanded you,” declares the LORD.
• Ezekiel 23:23 – “the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them—desirable young men, governors and commanders, all of them officers and men of renown, mounted on horses.”

Historical Setting

Extra-biblical records (Assyrian: Puqudu) locate Pekod east of the lower Tigris, south of Elam, an Aramean-Chaldean clan integrated into Babylonian power structures. By the seventh century B.C., Pekod warriors served in imperial armies, illustrating how fluid tribal allegiances were in Mesopotamia.

Role in the Prophets

1. Instrument of Judgment – Ezekiel 23 portrays Pekod as part of the Babylonian coalition that will besiege Jerusalem. The inclusion of lesser-known tribes underscores how completely Judah’s fate rests in God’s hand; He can marshal every stratum of Babylonian society to accomplish His purposes.
2. Object of Judgment – In Jeremiah 50, the identical name becomes the target of divine wrath when the LORD turns against Babylon. Thus Pekod moves from wielding the sword to receiving it, highlighting a central prophetic principle: the rod God employs will itself be broken when its task is finished (Habakkuk 1:13; Isaiah 10:12).

Theological Significance

• Divine Sovereignty – The rise and fall of Pekod magnify the LORD’s absolute authority over nations (Daniel 2:21).
• Moral Accountability – Even when serving as God’s agent, Pekod remains responsible for its own violence and idolatry (Jeremiah 50:29).
• Certainty of Judgment – The double oracle frames judgment as inevitable: first on covenant breakers within Israel, then on the pagan instrument that executed the sentence. This pattern anticipates the ultimate defeat of every worldly power opposed to God (Revelation 18).

Lessons for Ministry

1. Align with God’s Purposes – Like Pekod, believers may inadvertently become instruments of divine discipline unless they submit to righteousness (1 Corinthians 10:12).
2. Proclaim Both Sides of Judgment – God judges His people to purify them and judges the nations to vindicate His holiness. Preaching that omits either side distorts the biblical balance (Romans 11:22).
3. Hope in Ultimate Justice – The fate of Pekod assures the oppressed that every oppressor will face God’s reckoning; therefore endurance and faith are never in vain (2 Thessalonians 1:6-7).

Summary

Pekod’s brief appearance in Scripture serves as a microcosm of prophetic theology: God raises nations, directs them for His purposes, and then calls them to account. Its account encourages humble obedience, confident proclamation, and unwavering hope in the just reign of the LORD over all history.

פְּק֑וֹד פְּק֤וֹד פקוד pə·qō·wḏ peKod pəqōwḏInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts