SOCO(H)

(Soʹco[h]) [possibly thorn, or, thorny place].

1. A Judean city in the Shephelah, seemingly referred to as both Soco and Socoh. (Josh. 15:20, 33, 35) The Philistines collected their army together at Socoh and then camped at nearby Ephesdammim before Goliath’s encounter with David. (1 Sam. 17:1) Years later this Soco was apparently among the cities that Rehoboam strengthened. (2 Chron. 11:5-7; however, this passage may apply to No. 2 below.) Nevertheless, Soco, along with its dependent towns, was captured by the Philistines more than two hundred years later, during King Ahaz’ rule. (2 Chron. 28:16-18) It seems to be represented by the ruins at Khirbet ʽAbbad, some sixteen and a half miles (26.5 kilometers) SW of Jerusalem. Khirbet Shuweikeh, a short distance to the E, seems to preserve the Biblical name.

2. Socoh, a city in the mountainous region of Judah. (Josh. 15:20, 48) It is often identified with a different Khirbet Shuweikeh, some ten and a half miles (17 kilometers) S-SW of Hebron.

3. Socoh, a place under the administration of one of Solomon’s deputies. (1 Ki. 4:7, 10) The suggested identification of it with Tell er-Ras, about ten and a half miles (17 kilometers) NW of Samaria, seems to fit the account, as the proposed sites of both Arubboth and Hepher (mentioned with Socoh in the Kings account) are nearby.

4. In the genealogy of Judah, Heber is called “the father of Soco.” (1 Chron. 4:18) Soco could be a personal name of Heber’s descendant; or, the text could indicate that Heber was the founder of the city of Soco or its population. Assuming that this latter situation was the case, it is not possible to determine whether the reference is to Soco(h) No. 1 or No. 2.