What is…
Ramah

also known as: Rama (Matthew 2:18 KJV), the Greek form of Ramah

Hebrew: רָמָה —transliteration: Ramah —meaning: height —occurrences: 36

Several biblical cities were referred to by this name.

  1. Ramah, a city first mentioned by Joshua

    also known as: Ramah in Benjamin

    It is named in Joshua 18:25, located near Gibeah of the tribe of Benjamin.

    This Ramah is the native place and residence of the prophet Samuel.

    Later in Bible history, it was fortified by Baasha, king of Israel (1 Kings 15:17-22; 2 Chronicles 16:1-6).

    Asa, king of Judah, employed Benhadad (Ben Hadad) the Syrian king to drive Baasha from this city (1 Kings 15:18, 20).

    Isaiah refers to it (Isa. 10:29), and also Jeremiah, who was once a prisoner there among the other captives of Jerusalem when it was taken by Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 39:8-12; 40:1).

    The matriarch Rachel, whose tomb lies close to Bethlehem, is represented as weeping in Ramah (Jeremiah 31:15) for her slaughtered children.

    This prophecy is illustrated and fulfilled in the re-awakening of Rachel’s grief at the slaughter of the infants in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:18).

    It is identified with the modern city of Al-Ram (aka A-Ram, al-Ramm and er-Ram), between Gibeon and Beeroth, about 5 miles due north of Jerusalem.

    Modern Al-Ram, Israel—satellite view / Zoom out and pan image southeast past Jerusalem to see Bethlehem and Rachel’s Tomb

  2. Ramah, a town identified with Rameh, on the border of Asher

    Located about 13 miles southeast of Tyre, “on a solitary hill in the midst of a basin of green fields” (Joshua 19:29)

  3. Ramah, one of the “fenced cities” of Naphtali

    Mentioned in Joshua 19:36, it was on a mountain slope, about 7½ miles west-southwest of Safed, Israel, and 15 miles west of the north end of the Sea of Galilee.

    This became the present large and well-built village of Rameh, Israel (aka Rame) (satellite view below).

    Modern Rameh, Israel (aka Rame), site of ancient Ramah—satellite view

  4. Ramah, the same as Ramathaim-zophim

    This is a town of Mount Ephraim (1 Samuel 1:1, 19).

  5. Ramah, the same as Ramoth-Gilead

    2 Kings 8:29; 2 Chronicles 22:6

More information

Article Version: June 27, 2024