Lexical Summary Dophqah: Dophkah Original Word: דָּפְקָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Dophkah From daphaq; a knock; Dophkah, a place in the Desert -- Dophkah. see HEBREW daphaq NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom daphaq Definition a place in the desert NASB Translation Dophkah (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs דָּפְקָה proper name, of a location first station of Israel after מדבר סין Numbers 33:12,13 ᵐ5 Ῥαφακα; situation unknown, compare views in Di. (On an interpret. of name from a stone or metal Mafkat, Ta-Mafkat = Mafkat- district, see EbGS 148 f. 552 ff.) דַּק, דֹּק see below דקק. דקל (√ of following compare Topical Lexicon DophkahBiblical setting Numbers 33:12 records, “They set out from the Wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah,” and Numbers 33:13 adds, “They departed from Dophkah and camped at Alush”. These two verses place Dophkah midway between the Wilderness of Sin and Alush in Israel’s march from Egypt to Sinai. Though mentioned only here, its inclusion in the itinerary underscores the meticulous care with which Moses chronicled each stage of the Exodus. Sequence in the journey 1. Egypt → Succoth → Etham By the time the Israelites reached Dophkah they had already received quail and manna (Exodus 16) and were on the threshold of the water-from-the-rock episode at Rephidim (Exodus 17). The camp therefore stands at a pivotal point between the first provision of food and the first provision of water in the desert. Geographical considerations The name is linked by many scholars to copper-rich regions in southwestern Sinai—especially the mining districts around Wadi Maghara and Serabit el-Khadim. Ancient Egyptian inscriptions attest to labor camps in that vicinity, making Dophkah a plausible encampment site rich in visible evidence of earlier human industry. If this identification is correct, the Israelites would have marched along the western flank of the Sinai Peninsula, threading wadis that offered occasional grazing and limited water sources. Historical background Mining operations in the area stretch back to the Old Kingdom of Egypt. Turquoise, malachite, and copper were extracted by seasonal expeditions. Such an environment provides a striking backdrop for Israel’s brief stop: while Egypt’s pharaohs had relied on forced labor to extract treasure from the mountains, the Lord was leading a newly freed nation through the same landscape on the way to receive His law. Dophkah thus becomes a silent witness to the contrast between human oppression and divine liberation. Theological themes Guidance. Each campsite, including Dophkah, reveals God’s step-by-step leading: “By day the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way” (Exodus 13:21). The itinerary demonstrates that Israel advanced only at His command (Numbers 9:17-23). Memory. Later generations could recite these place names as proof that the Exodus was rooted in time and space, not myth or allegory. Providence in barren places. The route from Sin to Sinai contains the earliest lessons on daily dependence—manna, quail, water, victory over Amalek, and ultimately covenant law. Dophkah forms part of that training ground in trust. Lessons for the church 1. Scripture’s precision encourages confidence in its historical reliability. Related references Exodus 13:21-22; Exodus 16:35; Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 78:13-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 (Paul’s reflection on the wilderness stages). Forms and Transliterations בְּדָפְקָֽה׃ בדפקה׃ מִדָּפְקָ֑ה מדפקה bə·ḏā·p̄ə·qāh bedafeKah bəḏāp̄əqāh mid·dā·p̄ə·qāh middafeKah middāp̄əqāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 33:12 HEB: סִ֑ין וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּדָפְקָֽה׃ NAS: of Sin and camped at Dophkah. KJV: of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah. INT: of Sin and camped Dophkah Numbers 33:13 2 Occurrences |
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a kind of palm; Late Hebrew דֶּקֶל, date-tree, palm, Aramaic דִּיקְלָא, 
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