ramah Summary and Overview

(a hill). This is the name of several places in the holy land. 1. One of the cities of the allotment of Benjamin. #Jos 18:25| Its site is at er-Ram, about five miles from Jerusalem, and near to Gibeah. #Jud 4:5; 19:13; 1Sa 22:6| Its people returned after the captivity. #Ezr 2:26; Ne 7:30| 2. The home of Elkanah, Samuel's father, #1Sa 1:19; 2:11| the birthplace of Samuel himself, his home and official residence, the site of his altar ch. #1Sa 7:17; 8:4; 15:34; 16:13 19:18| and finally his burial-place, ch. #1Sa 25:1; 28:3| It is a contracted form of Ramathaim-zophim. All that is directly said as to its situation is that it was in Mount Ephraim, #1Sa 1:1| a district without defined boundaries, The position of Ramah is a much-disputed question. Tradition, however places the residence of Samuel on the lofty and remarkable eminence of Neby Samwil which rises four miles to the northwest of Jerusalem. Since the days of Arcult the tradition appears to have been continuous. Here, then, we are inclined in the present state of the evidence, to place the Ramah of Samuel. 3. One of the nineteen fortified places of Naphtali. #Jos 19:36| Dr. Robinson has discovered a Rameh northwest of the Sea of Galilee, about 8 miles east-south-east of Safed. 4. One of the landmarks on the boundary of Asher, #Jos 19:29| apparently between Tyre and Zidon. Some place it 3 miles east of Tyre, others 10 miles off and east-southeast of the same city. 5. By this name in #2Ki 8:29| and 2Chr 22:6 only, is designated Ramoth-gilead. 6. A place mentioned in the catalogue of those reinhabited by the Benjamites after their return from the captivity. #Ne 11:33|

RA'MAH (high place), the name of several towns in Palestine. 1. A city of Benjamin near to Gibeah, and occupied once by Saul. Josh 18:25; Jud 19:13; 1 Sam 22:6. It was on a site naturally strong; was fortified by Baasha, but the king of Judah stopped the work through the co-operation of the Syrians. 1 Kgs 15:17-22; 2 Chr 16:1-6. At the capture of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar the captives were placed under guard at Ramah; among them was the prophet Jeremiah. Jer 39:8-12; Jer 40:1. It was here his prophecy was fulfilled, "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping." Jer 31:15. This prophecy was again illustrated and fulfilled by the slaughter of the innocents at Bethlehem when Jesus was born. Matt 2:17-18. Ramah was reoccupied after the Captivity. Ezr 2:26; Neh 7:30. The town has been identified with er-Ram, about 5 miles north of Jerusalem, where broken columns, many large hewn stones in the houses, and other ancient remains are to be found. The village is a small and miserable one, having only about fifteen families, but the view from it is very extensive. 2. The birthplace, home, and burial-place of the prophet Samuel, the word being a contraction of "Ramathaim-zophim." 1 Sam 1:1; 1 Sam 2:11; 1 Sam 7:17; 1 Sam 8:4; 1 Sam 15:34; 1 Sam 16:13; 1 Sam 19:18; 1 Sam 25:1; 1 Sam 28. Stanley says that the position of this Ramah is the most complicated and disputed problem of sacred topography. The place was on an eminence south of Gibeah, the birthplace of Saul, and is also said to be "of Mount Ephraim," a district, however, without defined boundaries. 1 Sam 1:1, 1 Sam 1:19. The following sites for Ramah have been proposed:(1) Neby-Samwil, 4 miles north-west of Jerusalem, where it is placed by the common tradition of Muslims, Jews, and Christians, and Grove is inclined to favor it; (2) Er-Ram, which is the same as Ramah, No. 1; (3) Ramleh, 2 miles south-west of Lydda; (4) Ramah, a short distance above Bethlehem; (5) the "Frank mountain," 3 miles south-east of Bethlehem, a site favored by Gesenius; (6) Ramet el-Khalil, a group of ruins a little north of Hebron, favored by Walcott and Van de Velde; (7) Rama, a village 3 1/2 miles west of Sanur, favored by Schwarze: (8) Ram-allah, 5 miles north of Neby-Samwil, favored by Ewald; (9) Seba, 6 miles west of Jerusalem, proposed by Robinson. In the seventeenth century Neby-Samwil was pointed out as the site of Ramathaim-zophim, which would connect it with this Ramah, but in the fourteenth century Ramathaim-zophim was shown at Ramleh. 3. A place on the border of Asher, probably not far from Tyre. Josh 19:29. Robinson places this Ramah at the modern village Rameh, about 13 miles south-east of Tyre, which the Pal. Memoirs call Ramin, and accept it as the site of Ramah. 4. A fortified place of Naphtali. Josh 19:36. It may be identical with the modern village of Rameh, 10 miles north-west of the Sea of Galilee and on the road to Akka. 5. A name for Ramoth-Gilead, which see. 2 Kgs 8:28-29. 6. A place mentioned in Neh 11:33 as reinhabited by Benjamites after their return from exile.