Rabbah of the Ammonites — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Capital of the ancient Ammonite kingdom. Located near the sources of the Jabbok River, it stood about 25 miles (40.2 kilometers) east of the Jordan and lay astride the main caravan route leading from Damascus south along the length of the Transjordanian plateau. This road was also known as the King’s Highway (Nm 20:17; 21:22). Modern Amman, the capital of Jordan, covers the ancient city. During the third century BC, Ptolemy II Philadelphus of Egypt rebuilt the city and renamed it Philadelphia. After the Romans took Palestine in 63 BC, the city became part of the Decapolis, and after AD 106 was part of the Roman province of Arabia.

Show passage in OET: NUM 20:17

OET-RV NUM 20:17

17 Now please let us pass through your country. We won’t go through the countryside or the vineyards, and we won’t drink water from any well. We’ll stay on the king’s highway without turning to the right or the left, until after we’ve exited at your northern border.

OET-LV NUM 20:17

17 Let _us _pass please in_land _of_your not we _will _pass in_a _field and_in_a _vineyard and_not we _will _drink water _of a _well the _way _of the_king we _will _go not we _will _turn _aside right _hand and_left _hand until that we _will _pass _through territory _of_your.

Show passage in OET: NUM 21:22

OET-RV NUM 21:22

22 “Let us pass through your country. We won’t turn off into any field or vineyard. We won’t take water from any well. We’ll stay on the king’s highway until we’ve exited at your northern border.”

OET-LV NUM 21:22

22 Let _me _pass in_land _of_your not we _will _turn _aside in_a _field and_in_a _vineyard not we _will _drink water _of a _well on_the _way _of the_king we _will _go until that we _will _pass _through territory _of_your.

Jump to OET NUM 20:17 section.

Jump to OET NUM 21:22 section.

Rabbah first appears in Scripture as the place where the great iron bedstead of Og, king of Bashan, was kept (Dt 3:11; KJB “Rabbath of the children of Ammon”). When Transjordan was divided among the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, the territory of Gad extended to the vicinity of Rabbah but did not include it (Jos 13:25).

Show passage in OET: DEU 3:11

OET-RV DEU 3:11

11 (Bashan’s King Og was the last king who was a descendant of the Refaim. His bed (in Rabah in the Amoni region) was made out of iron and was four metres long and two metres wide.)

OET-LV DEU 3:11

11 If/because only ˊŌg the _king _of (the)_Bāshān he _survived from_the _remnant _of the _Rəfāʼīm THERE sarcophagus _of_his was_a _sarcophagus _of iron not is_it in_Rabāh of _the _people _of of _ˊAmmōn was_nine cubits length _of_its and_four cubits breadth _of_its by_a _cubit _of a _human.

Show passage in OET: JOS 13:25

OET-RV JOS 13:25

25 It included Yazer and all the cities of Gilead and half of the land where the Amonim had lived as far as Aroer opposite Rabah,

OET-LV JOS 13:25

25 And_he/it _was to/for_them the_territory Yaˊzēr/(Jazer) and_all the _cities _of (the)_Gilˊād and _(the)_half _of the _land _of the _people _of ˊAmmōn to ˊArōˊēr which is_on the _face _of Rabāh.

Jump to OET DEU 3:11 section.

Jump to OET JOS 13:25 section.

Rabbah figured most significantly in Scripture during David’s reign. At that time Joab laid siege to the city, and during the battle, Uriah the Hittite lost his life by the specific command of the king (2 Sm 11:1; 12:26-29). The city was built in two parts—the upper city and the lower city, called the “city of waters” (12:27). Joab took the lower city and perhaps gained control of the water supply, and then waited for David to come and complete the conquest (vv 27-28). After a thorough sack of Rabbah, David did not station troops in the city but left it under the control of the Ammonites, who became vassals of Israel.

Show passage in OET: SA2 11:1

OET-RV SA2 11:1

11 The next spring (when kings usually go to war), David sent Yoav (Joab) and his officials and all the Israeli warriors, and they defeated the Amonim and besieged Rabah.
¶ But David stayed in Yerushalem (Jerusalem),

OET-LV SA2 11:1

11 And_he/it _was to_the _return _of the _year to_the _time _of (the)_kings go _out and_ Dāvid _he _sent DOM Yōʼāⱱ/(Joab) and_DOM servants _of_his with_him/it and_DOM all _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) and_they _destroyed DOM the _people _of ˊAmmōn and_they _laid _siege on Rabāh and_Dāvid was_remaining in_Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem).

Show passage in OET: SA2 12:26–29

OET-RV SA2 12:26

26 Then Yoav (Joab) fought the Amonim at Rabah and captured their palace,

OET-RV SA2 12:27

27 then he sent messengers to David to tell him, “I’ve fought against Rabah and I’ve overthrown the city’s water supply.

OET-RV SA2 12:28

28 So now, gather the rest of our fighters and lay siege to the city and capture it. Otherwise I’ll do it and then it’ll be named after me.

OET-RV SA2 12:29

29 So David gathered all his warriors and went to Rabah, where he attacked the city and captured it.

OET-LV SA2 12:26

26 And_ Yōʼāⱱ/(Joab) _he _fought against_Rabāh of _the _people _of of _ˊAmmōn and_he _captured DOM the _city _of the_royalty.

OET-LV SA2 12:27

27 And_ Yōʼāⱱ _he _sent messengers to Dāvid and_he/it _said I _have _fought against_Rabāh also I _have _captured DOM the _city _of the_waters.

OET-LV SA2 12:28

28 And_now gather DOM the _rest _of the _people and_encamp on the_city and_capture_it lest I I _should _take DOM the_city and_ name _of_my _it _will _be _called on_it.

OET-LV SA2 12:29

29 And_ Dāvid _he _gathered DOM all _of the_people and_he/it _went to_Rabāh and_he _fought against_it and_he_captured _it.

Show passage in OET: SA2 12:27

OET-RV SA2 12:27

27 then he sent messengers to David to tell him, “I’ve fought against Rabah and I’ve overthrown the city’s water supply.

OET-LV SA2 12:27

27 And_ Yōʼāⱱ _he _sent messengers to Dāvid and_he/it _said I _have _fought against_Rabāh also I _have _captured DOM the _city _of the_waters.

Show passage in OET: SA2 12:27–28

OET-RV SA2 12:27

27 then he sent messengers to David to tell him, “I’ve fought against Rabah and I’ve overthrown the city’s water supply.

OET-RV SA2 12:28

28 So now, gather the rest of our fighters and lay siege to the city and capture it. Otherwise I’ll do it and then it’ll be named after me.

OET-LV SA2 12:27

27 And_ Yōʼāⱱ _he _sent messengers to Dāvid and_he/it _said I _have _fought against_Rabāh also I _have _captured DOM the _city _of the_waters.

OET-LV SA2 12:28

28 And_now gather DOM the _rest _of the _people and_encamp on the_city and_capture_it lest I I _should _take DOM the_city and_ name _of_my _it _will _be _called on_it.

Jump to OET SA2 11:1 section.

Jump to OET SA2 12:26–29 section.

Jump to OET SA2 12:27 section.

Jump to OET SA2 12:27–28 section.

About 250 years later, Amos pronounced judgment on the then-prosperous city (Am 1:13-14). When Nebuchadnezzar stopped at Rabbah during his invasion of Transjordan, it was a significant place (Ez 21:20). It was at Rabbah that Baalis, king of the Ammonites, later plotted the attack that resulted in the death of Gedaliah (Jer 40:14ff.), the Babylonian governor of Judea, and the exile of Jeremiah into Egypt. Jeremiah’s prophecy against Rabbah is recorded in Jeremiah 49:2-3.

Show passage in OET: AMO 1:13–14

OET-RV AMO 1:13

13 This is what Yahweh says,
⇔ “Even if the Amonim were three or four sins below the threshold,
⇔ I wouldn’t turn away their punishment,
⇔ because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead,
⇔ in order to grab territory.

OET-RV AMO 1:14

14 I’ll light a fire in Rabah’s walls,
⇔ and it’ll devour its fortresses,
⇔ with a shout in the day of battle,
⇔ with a storm in the day of the whirlwind.

OET-LV AMO 1:13

13 Thus YHWH he _says on three (the)_transgressions _of the _people _of ˊAmmōn and_on four not I_will _revoke _it because they_ripped _open the _pregnant_women_of (the)_Gilˊād so _as to _enlarge DOM territory _of_their.

OET-LV AMO 1:14

14 And_I _will _kindle a _fire on_the _wall _of Rabāh and_it _will _consume fortresses _of_its with_a _shout _of _alarm in/on_day battle with_a _storm in/on_day a _storm-wind

Show passage in OET: EZE 21:20

OET-RV EZE 21:20

20 Markos one road for the Babylonian army to come to Rabah, the Amoni city. Markos the other to lead the army to Yehudah (Judah) and the fortified city of Yerushalem (Jerusalem),

OET-LV EZE 21:25

25  A _road you _will _make to_ a _sword _come DOM Rabāh of _the _people _of of _ˊAmmōn and_DOM Yəhūdāh/(Judah) in_Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem) fortified.

Show passage in OET: JER 40:14–16

OET-RV JER 40:14

14 and asked him, “Do you realise that the Amoni King Ba’alis has sent Netanyah’s son Yishmael (Ishmael) to assassinate you?” However Ahikam’s son Gedalyah didn’t believe them

OET-RV JER 40:15

15 so Kareah’s son Yohanan spoke privately to Gedalyah at Mitspah, “Allow me to go and kill Netanyah’s Yishmael. No one will suspect me. Why should he kill you? Why allow all of Yehudah (Judah) that has been gathered to you to be scattered and the remnant destroyed?”

OET-RV JER 40:16

16 However Ahikam’s son Gedalyah replied to Kareah’s son Yohanan, “No, don’t do that, because you’re lying about Yishmael.”

OET-LV JER 40:14

14 And_they _said to_him/it at_all _(know) do _you _know if/because _that Baˊₐlīş the _king _of the _people _of ˊAmmōn he _has _sent DOM Yishmāˊ^ʼēl/(Ishmael) the _son _of Nətan^yāh to_strike_you life and_not he _believed to/for_them Gədal^yāh the _son _of ʼAḩīqām.

OET-LV JER 40:15

15 And_Yōḩānān the _son _of Qārēaḩ he _said to Gədal^yāh in_secrecy at_Miʦpāh to_say let _me _go please and_let _me _strike _down DOM Yishmāˊ^ʼēl/(Ishmael) the _son _of Nətan^yāh and_anyone not he _will _know to/for_what will_he _strike _you life and_ all _of Yəhūdāh who_have_gathered to_you _will _they _be _scattered and_ the _remnant _of Yəhūdāh/(Judah) _will _it _perish.

OET-LV JER 40:16

16 And_ Gədal^yāh the _son _of ʼAḩīqām _he/it _said to Yōḩānān the _son _of Qārēaḩ do _not do DOM the_thing the_this if/because falsehood you are_speaking concerning Yishmāˊ^ʼēl/(Ishmael).

Show passage in OET: JER 49:2–3

OET-RV JER 49:2

2 So listen, Yahweh declares that the time is coming
⇔ when I’ll sound the signal for battle against Amon’s capital city Rabah,
⇔ so it’ll become a deserted heap and its villages will be set on fire,
⇔ because Yahweh says that Yisrael will drive out those who initially drove them out.

OET-RV JER 49:3

3 Wail, Heshbon, because Ay will be devastated.
⇔ ≈ Cry out and put on sackcloth, you daughters of Rabah.
⇔ Mourn and run back and forth trying to figure out what to do
⇔ because Molek is going into captivity along with its priests and leaders.

OET-LV JER 49:2

2 For_so/thus/hence HERE days are_coming the _utterance _of YHWH and_I _will _sound _aloud against Rabāh of _the _people _of of _ˊAmmōn a _shout _of battle and_it _will _become (into)_a_mound _of desolation and_daughters _of_its with_fire they _will _be _kindled and_ Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) _it _will _dispossess DOM those _of_who_dispossessed _it YHWH he _says.

OET-LV JER 49:3

3 Wail Oh _Ḩeshbōn if/because ˊAy it _has _been _devastated cry _out Oh _daughters _of Rabāh gird _yourselves sackcloth(s) mourn and_run _to _and _fro among_walls if/because king _of_their in_exile he _will _go priests _of_his and_officials _of_his together.

Jump to OET AMO 1:13–14 section.

Jump to OET EZE 21:20 section.

Jump to OET JER 40:14–16 section.

Jump to OET JER 49:2–3 section.

Since modern Amman covers ancient Rabbah, no excavation of the ancient city is possible. The Roman theater stands in the center of the city, with seating for 6,000 people. Dilapidated remains of an odeum, or music hall, and a fountain, also of the Roman period, stand nearby. Everything visible on the ancient citadel is Roman, Byzantine, or Arab, except at the northeast corner, where part of the Iron Age town wall is still exposed. The Roman temple at the southwest corner of the citadel was dedicated to Hercules.