What is…
Rabbah

also known as: Rab'bath

meaning: great

This is the name of 2 biblical cities.

“Rabbath of the children of Ammon

This was the chief city of the Ammonites, among the eastern hills, some 20 miles (32 km) east of the Jordan River, on the southern of the two streams which united with the Jabbok.

Here the bedstead of Og was preserved (Deuteronomy 3:11, perhaps as a trophy of some victory gained by the Ammonites over the king of Bashan.

After David had subdued all their allies in a great war, he sent Joab with a strong force to take their city. For 2 years it held out against them. It was while his army was engaged in this protracted siege that David was guilty of that deed of shame which left a blot on his character and cast a gloom over the rest of his life.

At length, having taken the “royal city” (or the “city of waters,” 2 Samuel 12:27, i.e., the lower city on the river, as distinguished from the citadel), Joab sent for David to direct the final assault (2 Sam. 11:1; 12:26-31).

The city was plundered, and the people were ruthlessly put to death, and “thus did he with all the cities of the children of Ammon.”

The destruction of Rabbath was the last of David’s conquests. His kingdom now reached its farthest limits (2 Samuel 8:1-15; 1 Chronicles 18:1-15).

The capture of Rabbah is referred to by the prophets Amos (Amos 1:14), Jeremiah (Jer. 49:2-3), and Ezekiel (Ezek. 21:20; 25:5).

Rabbath, a city in the hill country of Judah

Joshua 15:60

It ruins are possibly at Rubba, about 6 miles (10 km) northeast of Beit-Jibrin.