Ramah

One of the cities located in the territory given to Benjamin’s tribe for an inheritance, listed between Gibeon and Beeroth (Joshua 18:25). Rachel, Jacob’s wife, was buried near this town (Matthew 2:18; compare Genesis 35:16–21; Jeremiah 31:15). Ramah, which was near Bethel, was the place where Deborah judged Israel (Judges 4:5). This city was a temporary resting place for a Levite and his concubine traveling north from Bethlehem (Judges 19:13).

During the period of the divided kingdom, from 930 to 722 BC, King Baasha of Israel strengthened Ramah. From Ramah, Baasha was able to prevent an invasion of King Asa’s Judean army. Baasha later left the city and hurried his army north to fight against a Syrian attack led by King Ben-hadad I around 885 BC. Asa destroyed Ramah’s military defences and used the material to build the towns of Geba and Mizpah (1 Kings 15:17–22; 2 Chronicles 16:1–6).

The Assyrian army, led by Sennacherib, invaded Judah through the cities of Geba, Ramah, and Gibeah in 701 BC against King Hezekiah and Jerusalem (Isaiah 10:29). Later, King Nebuchadnezzar used Ramah to detain Jews being deported to Babylon. Here Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, released Jeremiah from among the captives (Jeremiah 40:1).

After the Babylonian captivity, the people who lived in Ramah returned with Zerubbabel to Palestine and rebuilt the city (Ezra 2:26; Nehemiah 7:30). Some suggest that after the exile in Babylon, Ramah was another Benjaminite town located farther west near the coastal plain (Nehemiah 11:33). The site of Ramah is identified with the modern village of er-Ram, 8 kilometers (five miles) north of Jerusalem.

A city in the Negev marking the southern border of the tribe of Simeon inside Judah’s land (Joshua 19:8). It is also called Ramoth of the Negev (1 Samuel 30:27) and Baalath-beer (Joshua 19:8; compare 1 Chronicles 4:33).

A town on the border of the tribe of Asher. It is mentioned as being between Sidon and Tyre (Joshua 19:29).

One of 19 strong cities given to the tribe of Naphtali. It is mentioned as being between Adamah and Hazor (Joshua 19:36). It is the modern town of er-Rameh, about 17.7 kilometers (11 miles) northwest of the Sea of Galilee.

The home of Samuel’s parents, Elkanah and Hannah and the birthplace of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:19; 2:11). It became his home later (1 Samuel 7:17; 16:13). Samuel judged Israel from Ramah, Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah (1 Samuel 7:17). Saul first met Samuel at this city (1 Samuel 9:6–10). Here, the elders of Israel asked Samuel to appoint a king for them (1 Samuel 8:4). Later, David took refuge here from King Saul (1 Samuel 19:18–20:1). Samuel was buried at Ramah (1 Samuel 25:1; 28:3). Ramah is alternately called Ramathaim-zophim in 1 Samuel 1:1.

A shortened name for Ramoth-gilead (2 Kings 8:29; 2 Chronicles 22:6).