Original Word: בִּדְקר
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Bidqar
Pronunciation: bid-KAR
Phonetic Spelling: (bid-car')
KJV: Bidkar
NASB: Bidkar
Word Origin: [probably from H1856 (דָּקַר - pierce me through) with a prepositional prefix]

1. by stabbing
2. assassin
3. Bidkar, an Israelite

Bidkar

Probably from daqar with a prepositional prefix; by stabbing, i.e. Assassin; Bidkar, an Israelite -- Bidkar.

see HEBREW daqar

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
an Isr.
NASB Translation
Bidkar (1).

בִּדְקַר proper name, masculine Israel officer 2 Kings 9:25 (see בֵּן).

בהה (compare Arabic be empty; on a possible connection in Assyrian compare Hpt^{BAS i. 18}).

Identity and Historical Setting

Bidkar is named a single time in the Old Testament, in 2 Kings 9:25. He serves as a שָׁלִישׁ (shalish, “third-rank officer” or “adjutant”) in the retinue of Jehu during the tumultuous overthrow of the house of Ahab in the Northern Kingdom of Israel (circa 842 BC). Jehu’s revolt unfolds under the direct sanction of the LORD (2 Kings 9:6-10), marking Bidkar as a participant in a divinely mandated regime change designed to purge idolatry and avenge covenantal wrongdoing.

Role in the Execution of Judgment

While Jehu delivers the fatal arrow that strikes King Joram of Israel, Bidkar is entrusted with the physical disposal of the corpse. Jehu commands:

“Pick him up and throw him on the plot of ground owned by Naboth the Jezreelite. For remember, when you and I were riding together behind his father Ahab, the LORD pronounced this prophecy against him.” (2 Kings 9:25)

By obeying, Bidkar helps fulfill the prophecy delivered through Elijah that the blood of Ahab’s dynasty would be shed on Naboth’s parcel (1 Kings 21:19; 2 Kings 9:26). The act underscores the precision with which divine justice operates: even the location of judgment is governed by God’s word.

Character and Service

Scripture offers no personal biography of Bidkar, but his brief appearance reveals several qualities:
• Loyalty—he remains at Jehu’s side both as a charioteer in battle and as a trusted executor of orders.
• Readiness—when directed to handle the king’s body, he acts swiftly without hesitation.
• Shared Witness—Jehu’s reminder, “you and I were riding together,” indicates Bidkar was privy to earlier prophetic pronouncements. His memory of that word makes him a corroborating witness to the truth of God’s promises.

Theological Themes Illustrated

1. Certainty of Prophecy: Bidkar’s obedience contributes to the exact fulfillment of promises uttered years earlier (Numbers 23:19; Isaiah 55:11).
2. Divine Sovereignty over Human Thrones: By removing Joram, Jehu and his officer demonstrate that God sets up kings and removes them (Daniel 2:21).
3. Covenant Justice: The burial place of Joram on Naboth’s land displays the moral order that the LORD upholds—innocent blood cried out, and the guilty line pays (Deuteronomy 19:10; 2 Kings 9:26).
4. The Value of Quiet Faithfulness: Though unnamed elsewhere, Bidkar is remembered eternally in Scripture for a single act of obedience, reminding believers that significance is measured by faithfulness rather than prominence (Matthew 25:21).

Ministry Implications

• Those who serve in subordinate roles still participate vitally in the outworking of God’s plan; a believer’s calling, however small, intersects with divine purposes.
• Knowledge of Scripture strengthens obedience. Bidkar’s firsthand awareness of Elijah’s prophecy likely emboldened his compliance, illustrating how abiding in the word equips servants of God for decisive action (John 15:7; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
• Justice delayed is not justice denied. The long interval between Elijah’s oracle and its fulfillment under Jehu (approximately fifteen years) teaches patience and confidence in God’s timing (Habakkuk 2:3).

Legacy

Bidkar disappears from the biblical record after this episode, yet his moment of enforced justice remains a milestone in Israel’s narrative. His name is forever linked to the vindication of Naboth, the reliability of prophecy, and the sweeping reformation that Jehu inaugurated. Thus, the fleeting appearance of Bidkar in Scripture testifies that even the most obscure servant can be instrumental in the manifestation of God’s righteous purposes.

בִּדְקַר֙ בדקר biḏ·qar bidKar biḏqarInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts