Hamath — Bible place

Fortress, the capital of one of the kingdoms of Upper Syria of the same name, on the Orontes, in the valley of Lebanon, at the northern boundary of Palestine (Num. 13:21; 34:8), at the foot of Hermon (Josh. 13:5) towards Damascus (Zech. 9:2; Jer. 49:23). It is called “Hamath the great” in Amos 6:2, and “Hamath-zobah” in 2 Chr. 8:3.

Hamath, now Hamah, had an Aramaean population, but Hittite monuments discovered there show that it must have been at one time occupied by the Hittites. It was among the conquests of the Pharaoh Thothmes III. Its king, Tou or Toi, made alliance with David (2 Sam. 8:10), and in B.C. 740 Azariah formed a league with it against Assyria. It was, however, conquered by the Assyrians, and its nineteen districts placed under Assyrian governors. In B.C. 720 it revolted under a certain Yahu-bihdi, whose name, compounded with that of the God of Israel (Yahu), perhaps shows that he was of Jewish origin. But the revolt was suppressed, and the people of Hamath were transported to Samaria (2 Kings 17:24, 30), where they continued to worship their god Ashima. Hamah is beautifully situated on the Orontes, 32 miles north of Emesa, and 36 south of the ruins of Assamea.

The kingdom of Hamath comprehended the great plain lying on both banks of the Orontes from the fountain near Riblah to Assamea on the north, and from Lebanon on the west to the desert on the east. The “entrance of Hamath” (Num. 34:8), which was the north boundary of Palestine, led from the west between the north end of Lebanon and the Nusairiyeh mountains.

People and places

Recorded scripture occurrences (23)

References recorded in the source data; this is not an exhaustive list of mentions.

Show passage in OET: SA2 8:9

OET-RV SA2 8:9

9 When Hamat’s King Toeu heard that David had defeated Hadadezer’s entire army,

OET-LV SA2 8:9

9 And_ Toˊū the _king _of Ḩₐmāt _he/it _listened if/because _that Dāvid he _had _defeated DOM all _of the _army _of Hₐdadˊezer.

Show passage in OET: AMO 6:2

OET-RV AMO 6:2

2 “Go to Keleneh and look.
⇔ From there go to Hamat-Rabah.
⇔ Then go down to the Pelishti city of Gat.
⇔ Are they better than your two kingdoms?
⇔ Is their territory larger than yours?”

OET-LV AMO 6:2

2 Pass _over Kələneh and_see and_go from_there Hamath- Rabāh and_rule(pl) Gath the_Pəlishtiy are_they_good more _than the_kingdoms the_these or great territory _of_is_their more_than _of_your(pl)_territory.

Show passage in OET: KI2 14:28

OET-RV KI2 14:28

28 Everything else that Yarov’am said and did, including how he fought and restored Damesek (Damascus) and Hamat to Yisrael, is written in the book of the events of the kings of Yisrael.

OET-LV KI2 14:28

28 And_the _rest _of the _matters _of Yāroⱱˊām and_all that he _did and_might _of_his which he _waged _war and_which he _restored DOM Dammeseq and_DOM Ḩₐmāt to_Yəhūdāh/(Judah) in_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) not are_they written on the _scroll _of the _matters _of the_days of_the _kings _of of _Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

Jump to OET SA2 8:9 section.

Jump to OET AMO 6:2 section.

Jump to OET KI2 14:28 section.

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