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Additional data from OpenBible.info1 Kings 4:13 Ben Geber, in Ramoth Gilead (to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; even to him pertained

1 Kings 22:3 The king of Israel said to his servants, "You know that Ramoth Gilead is ours, and we are still, and don't take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?"

1 Kings 22:4 He said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to battle to Ramoth Gilead?" Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses."

1 Kings 22:6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?" They said, "Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king."

1 Kings 22:12 All the prophets prophesied so, saying, "Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king."

1 Kings 22:15 When he had come to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?" He answered him, "Go up and prosper; and Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king."

1 Kings 22:20 Yahweh said,'Who shall entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' One said one thing; and another said another.

1 Kings 22:29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.

2 Kings 8:28 He went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead: and the Syrians wounded Joram.

2 Kings 9:1 Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, "Gird up your waist, and take this vial of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead.

2 Kings 9:4 So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead.

2 Kings 9:14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram was keeping Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria;

2 Chronicles 18:2 After certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed sheep and cattle for him in abundance, and for the people who were with him, and moved him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead.

2 Chronicles 18:3 Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Will you go with me to Ramoth Gilead? He answered him, I am as you are, and my people as your people; and we will be with you in the war.

2 Chronicles 18:5 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? They said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the hand of the king.

2 Chronicles 18:11 All the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king.

2 Chronicles 18:14 When he was come to the king, the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? He said, Go up, and prosper; and they shall be delivered into your hand.

2 Chronicles 18:19 Yahweh said,'Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' One spoke saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

2 Chronicles 18:28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.

2 Chronicles 22:5 He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead: and the Syrians wounded Joram.

RAMOTH-GILEAD

ra'-moth-gil'-e-ad (ramoth gil'adh; Codex Vaticanus Rhemmath Galadd; Codex Alexandrinus Rhammoth, and other forms): A great and strong city East of the Jordan in the territory of Gad, which played an important part in the wars of Israel. It is first mentioned in connection with the appointment of the Cities of Refuge (Deuteronomy 4:43 Joshua 20:8). It was assigned to the Merarite Levites (Joshua 21:38 1 Chronicles 6:80). In these four passages it is called "Ramoth in Gilead" (ramoth ba-gil'adh). This form is given wrongly by the King James Version in 1 Kings 22:3. In all other places the form "Ramoth-gilead" is used.e to the shape of a jaw-bone (Judges 15:9, 14, 19). It may have been in Wady es-Sarar, not far from Zorah and Timnath; but the available data do not permit of certain identification.

1. History:

Here Ben-geber was placed in charge of one of Solomon's administrative districts (1 Kings 4:13), which included Havvoth-jair and "the region of Argob, which is in Bashan." The city was taken from Omri by the Syrians under Ben-hadad I (Ant., VIII, xv, 3;), and even after the defeat of Ben-hadad at Aphek they remained masters of this fortress. In order to recover it for Israel Ahab invited Jehoshaphat of Judah to accompany him in a campaign. Despite the discouragement of Micalab, the royal pair set out on the disastrous enterprise. In their attack on the city Ahab fought in disguise, but was mortally wounded by an arrow from a bow drawn "at a venture" (1 Kings 22:1-40 2 Chronicles 18). The attempt was renewed by Ahab's son Joram; but his father's ill fortune followed him, and, heavily wounded, he retired for healing to Jezreel (2 Kings 8:28 2 Chronicles 22:5 f). During the king's absence from the camp at Ramoth-gilead Jehu was there anointed king of Israel by Elisha (2 Kings 9:1 2 Chronicles 22:7). He proved a swift instrument of vengeance against the doomed house of Ahab. According to Josephus (Ant., IX, vi, 1) the city was taken before Joram's departure. This is confirmed by 2 Kings 9:14;. The place is not mentioned again, unless, indeed, it be identical with "Mizpeh" in 1 Maccabees 5:35.

2. Identification:

It is just possible that Ramoth-gilead corresponds to MIZPAH, (1), and to RAMATH-MIZPEH. The spot where Laban and Jacob parted is called both Galeed and Mizpah. Ramath may become Ramoth, as we see in the case of Ramah of the South.

Merrill identifies the city with Jerash, the splendid ruins of which lie in Wady ed-Deir, North of the Jabbok. He quotes the Bah Talmud (Makkoth 9b) as placing the Cities of Refuge in pairs, so that those on the East of the Jordan are opposite those on the West Shechem, being the middle one of the three West of the Jordan, should have Ramorb-gilead nearly opposite to it on the East, and this would place its site at Gerasa, the modern Jerash (Hastings Dictionary of the Bible, under the word). But the words of the Talmud must not be interpreted too strictly. It seems very probable that Golan lay far South of a line drawn due East from Qedes (Kedesh-naphtali). No remains have been discovered at Jerash older than Greek-Roman times, although the presence of a fine perennial spring makes occupation in antiquity probable. The place could be approached by chariots along Wady `Ajlun, and the country adjoining was not unsuitable for chariot evolutions.

Conder and others have suggested Reimun, an ancient site to the West of Jerash. The absence of any source of good water-supply is practically fatal to this identification. Buhl (Geographic des Alten Palestina, 261;) favors el-Jil`ad, a ruined site on a hill South of the Jabbok; see GILEAD, (1). Eusebius and Jerome (Onomasticon, under the word) contradict each other, the former placing Ramoth-gilead 15 miles West, and the latter 15 miles East of Philadelphia. It is clear, however, that this is a mere slip on Jerome's part, as both say it is near the Jabbok. Many have identified it with es-Salt, which is indeed 15 miles West of `Amman (Philadelphia), but it is 10 miles South of the Jabbok, and so can hardly be described as near that river. It is also no place for chariot warfare. The case against identification with Ramoth-gilead is conclusively stated by G.A. Cooke in Driver's Deuteronomy, xx.

In suggesting these sites sufficient attention has not been given to what is said in 1 Kings 4. The authority of the king's officer in Ramoth-gilead extended over the land of Argob in Bashan, as well as over the towns of Jair in Gilead. A situation therefore to the North of Mahanaim must be sought. Guthe would find it at er-Remtheh, on the pilgrim road, about 10 miles South of Mezerib (compare Smith, Historical Geography of the Holy Land, 586;). Cheyne's suggestion of Salkhad, away on the crest of the mountain of Bashan, is out of the question. Caleb Hauser (Palestine Exploration Fund Statement, 1906, 304) argues in favor of Beit Ras, over 11 miles Southeast of Gadara, a position commanding all Northern Gilead and as favorably situated as Jerash for chariot warfare and communication with the West of Jordan. "Here we have the heights of Northern Gilead. Ramoth, Capitolias, and Beit Ras are in their respective languages idiomatic equivalents. It is improbable that a large city like Capitolins should have superseded anything but a very important city of earlier times." We must be content to leave the question open meantime.

W. Ewing

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RAMOTH-GILEAD, a Levitical city of Gad 25 ms. e. of Jordan, that is, if it is supposed to be at es Salt, 13 ms. s. of the Jabbok. It is 2740 ft. above the Mediterranean. Its site is not certainly known.H7433: Ramoth Gilad

a city East of the Jordan