Jarmuth

From Bible Exegesis

jar´muth (ירמוּת, yarmūtȟ, "height"):

(1) A city of the Canaanites in the Shephelah (Joshua 15:35) of Judah whose “king,” Piram, joined the league of the “five kings” against Joshua (Joshua 10:3-5), was defeated at Gibeon and slain at Makkedah (Joshua 10:23). One of the 31 “kings” defeated in Joshua's campaign (Joshua 12:11). The city was originally the residence of one of the Canaanitish kings (Joshua 10:3, Joshua 10:5, Joshua 10:23). In Joshua 15:35 it is mentioned in conjunction with Adullam, Socoh and Azekah, and in Nehemiah 11:29 with Zorah, Zanoah and Adullam. Cheyne (Encyclopedia Biblica) suggests that the “Maroth” of Micah 1:12 may be a copyist's error for Jarmuth. In Eusebius, Onomasticon (OS2 132 31; 266 38) mention is made of a Ἰερμοχώς, Iermochō̇s, or Jermucha, 10 Roman miles Northeast of Eleutheropolis (Beit Jibrîn), The site of this once important place is Khirbet el Yarmūk, a ruin, with many old walls and cisterns, on the top of a hill 1,465 ft. above sealevel. It is nearly 2 miles Northwest of Beit Nattîf, from which it is visible, and 8 1/2 miles, as measured on map, N.N.E. of Beit Jibrîn. Compare PEF, III, 128, Sh XVIII.

(2) A Levitical city of the tribe of Issachar belonging to the “children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites” (Joshua 21:29); in the duplicate list in 1 Chronicles 6:73 we have Ramoth, while in the Septuagint version of Joshua 21:29 we have, in different VSS, Rhemmāth or Iermō̇th. In Joshua 19:21 “Remeth” occurs (in Hebrew) in the lists of cities of Issachar; in the Septuagint Rhémmas or Rhamáth. The name was probably “Remeth” or “Ramoth,” but the place has never been identified with any certainty. It is supposed by some to be the Ramah of Samuel (1 Samuel 19:22)

See Ramoth.