נְכוֹ
𐤍𐤊𐤅
Nekho
H5224 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Neko (Necho), a personal name referring specifically to an Egyptian pharaoh who appears in Hebrew Bible narratives involving late monarchic Judahite history. The term always signifies the royal name of this non-Israelite ruler, functioning as a proper noun rather than a descriptive title.
Semantic Range
Neko/Necho (Egyptian pharaoh, personal name only)
Root / Etymology
Uncertain. The word נְכוֹ appears to be a phonetic borrowing into Hebrew from an Egyptian royal name, conventionally associated with the Egyptian 'Nkꜣw' (Necho), though precise Egyptian orthography and vocalization are debated. The word does not derive from a triliteral Semitic Hebrew root but is adopted as a loanword to refer specifically to the Egyptian pharaoh.
Historical & Contextual Notes
נְכוֹ occurs only in contexts related to Egyptian- Judahite political interactions during the late First Temple period, notably in narratives recounting the campaigns and activities of Pharaoh Necho II (26th Dynasty) in 2 Kings 23 and 2 Chronicles 35-36. The name is always used as an Egyptian royal title, paralleling the standard biblical formula combining Pharaoh + Neko. Later English translations frequently use ‘Necho’ or ‘Neco’, and during the Persian and Hellenistic periods, the Hebrew Bible did not expand or shift the word’s sense—its referent is always historical and specific. The word was never generalized to mean 'Egyptian king' in a broader sense, nor was it applied to Israelites or Judeans. KJV and other older English translations sometimes render נְכוֹ as ‘Necho’ or ‘Neco’, but always as a proper name, never as a generic title. Compare פַּרְעֹה נְכֹה (Pharaoh Neko) for the full royal titular phrase.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably of Egyptian origin; Neko, an Egyptian king; Necho. Compare פַּרְעֹה נְכֹה.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
— (—) — loaned royal personal name
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H116 | אֱדַיִן | then |
| H133 | אַדְמָתָא | Admatha |
| H175 | אַהֲרוֹן | and in Aharon |
| H1834 | דַּמֶּשֶׂק | Damascus |
| H1867 | דָּֽרְיָוֵשׁ | Darius |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5224-01 |
נְכ֧וֹ | nekho | HNp |
Neco | Neko | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5224-01 |
2 Chronicles 35:20 | נְכ֧וֹ | nekho | HNp |
Necho | Neko |
H5224-01 |
2 Chronicles 35:22 | נְכ֖וֹ | nekho | HNp |
Neco | Neko |
H5224-01 |
2 Chronicles 36:4 | נְכ֔וֹ | nekho | HNp |
Neco | Neko |