Name Old Testament Known
Tekoa
trumpet; that is confirmed
תְּקוֹעַ te.qo.a
Tekoa (Hebrew: תְּקוֹעַ, te.qo.a) means “trumpet; that is confirmed”, by traditional interpretation. It appears in 14 verses across 6 books of the Bible. In 2025 it was given to 31 children in the United States. Use is rising. Appears with Abiah in 1 Chronicles 2.
The bearer in scripture
One person in scripture bears this name.
-
Tekoa
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 14 across 6 books
- Bearers
- 1 one person only
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- United Monarchy
Using it today
Based on 2025 births across the United States.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Given in 2025 | 31 | Rising |
| All-time total | 342 | Since records begin in 1880 |
| Peak | 31 in 2025 | Its highest year on record |
| Ten-year trend | +389% | Change in share of births |
| Strongest state | CA | Highest share relative to births |
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | 2 Samuel 14:2 |
| Last appears | Amos 1:1 |
| Cross-references | 267 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Ira co-occurrence Appears with Ira in 1 Chronicles 11.
- Ikkesh co-occurrence Appears with Ikkesh in 1 Chronicles 11.
- Ashhur co-occurrence Appears with Ashhur in 1 Chronicles 4.
- Abiah co-occurrence Appears with Abiah in 1 Chronicles 2.
- Abijah co-occurrence Appears with Abijah in 1 Chronicles 2.
- Naarah co-occurrence Appears with Naarah in 1 Chronicles 4.
- Helah co-occurrence Appears with Helah in 1 Chronicles 4.
- Abiezer co-occurrence Appears with Abiezer in 1 Chronicles 11.
Origin & meaning
Tekoa or Tekoah = "a stockade"
town founded by Ashur son of Hezron
in the hill country of Judah near Hebron
rebuilt by king Rehoboam of Judah; birthplace of Amos
Also named: te.qo.i (תְּקוֹעִי "Tekoa" H8621)
Tekoa, a town in Judah, known as the birthplace of the prophet Amos and the home of one of David's mighty men (2 Sam. 14:2; 1 Chr. 11:28; Amo.1.1).
The biblical story
Tekoa was a town in the hill country of Judah, located about 10 miles south of Jerusalem. It is first mentioned as the birthplace of Ira, one of David's mighty men (2 Sam. 23:26; 1 Chr. 11:28). Tekoa was also the hometown of the wise woman who, at Joab's request, persuaded David to reconcile with his son Absalom (2 Sam. 14:2-9). During the reign of Rehoboam, Tekoa was fortified as part of Judah's defense system (2 Chr. 11:6). The town was the birthplace of the prophet Amos, who identified himself as "one of the shepherds of Tekoa" (Amo.1.1). Amos's rural background and proximity to the wilderness shaped his prophetic message. In the time of Jehoshaphat, the people of Judah gathered in the wilderness of Tekoa to seek God's help against their enemies (2 Chr. 20:20). The town was also involved in the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls during the time of Nehemiah (Neh. 3:5, 27). Jeremiah mentioned Tekoa in his prophecy, urging the people to flee and sound the trumpet of warning (Jer. 6:1).
Key verses
Tekoa appears in 14 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
-
And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:
2 Samuel 14:2 -
And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.
2 Samuel 14:4 -
And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house: and the king and his throne be guiltless.
2 Samuel 14:9 -
Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
2 Samuel 23:26 -
And after that Hezron was dead in Caleb–ephratah, then Abiah Hezron’s wife bare him Ashur the father of Tekoa.
1 Chronicles 2:24
Show all 14 references
2 Samuel (4)
- 2 Samuel 14:2
- 2 Samuel 14:4
- 2 Samuel 14:9
- 2 Samuel 23:26
1 Chronicles (4)
- 1 Chronicles 2:24
- 1 Chronicles 4:5
- 1 Chronicles 11:28
- 1 Chronicles 27:9
2 Chronicles (2)
- 2 Chronicles 11:6
- 2 Chronicles 20:20
Nehemiah (2)
- Nehemiah 3:5
- Nehemiah 3:27
Jeremiah (1)
- Jeremiah 6:1
Amos (1)
- Amos 1:1