King James Bible Dictionary

(Matthew 2:18), the Greek form of Ramah.

1. A city first mentioned in Joshua 18:25, near Gibeah of Benjamin. It was fortified by Baasha, king of Israel (1 Kings 15:17-22; 2 Chronicles 16:1-6). Asa, king of Judah, employed Benhadad the Syrian king to drive Baasha from this city (1 Kings 15:18, 20). Isaiah (10:29) refers to it, 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). 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 village of er-Ram, between Gibeon and Beeroth, about 5 miles due north of Jerusalem. (See SAMUEL.)

2. A town identified with Rameh, on the border of Asher, about 13 miles south-east of Tyre, "on a solitary hill in the midst of a basin of green fields" (Joshua 19:29).

3. One of the "fenced cities" of Naphtali (Joshua 19:36), on a mountain slope, about seven and a half miles west-south-west of Safed, and 15 miles west of the north end of the Sea of Galilee, the present large and well-built village of Rameh.

4. The same as Ramathaim-zophim (q.v.), a town of Mount Ephraim (1 Samuel 1:1, 19).

5. The same as Ramoth-gilead (q.v.), 2 Kings 8:29; 2 Chronicles 22:6.

See Ramah, 1

Ramah, 1

(Matthew 2:15) referring to (Jeremiah 31:15) It is the Greek form of Ramah.

RAM'ADAN, noun Among the Mohammedans, a solemn season of fasting.

RAM'AGE, noun [Latin ramus, a branch.]

1. Branches of trees. [Not in use.]

2. The warbling of birds sitting on boughs.

3. [See Rummage.]

same as Ram

1. A city allotted to Benjamin:

General references
Joshua 18:25; Judges 19:13

Attempted fortification of, by King Baasha; destruction of, by Asa
1 Kings 15:17-22; 2 Chronicles 16:1-6

People of, return from the Babylonian captivity
Ezra 2:26; Nehemiah 7:30; Nehemiah 11:33

Jeremiah imprisoned in
Jeremiah 40:1

Prophecies concerning
Isaiah 10:29; Jeremiah 31:15; Hosea 5:8; Matthew 2:18

Called Rama
Matthew 2:18

2. A city of Asher
Joshua 19:29

3. A city of Naphthali
Joshua 19:36

4. Called Ramathaim-Zophim:

A city in Mount Ephraim
Judges 4:5; 1 Samuel 1:1

Home of Elkanah
1 Samuel 1:1; 1 Samuel 1:19; 1 Samuel 2:11

Home of Samuel
1 Samuel 1:19-20; 1 Samuel 7:17; 1 Samuel 8:4; 1 Samuel 15:34; 1 Samuel 16:13

David flees to
1 Samuel 19:18

Samuel dies and was buried in
1 Samuel 25:1; 1 Samuel 28:3

5. See Ramoth-Gilead
Ramoth-Gilead

(a hill). This is the name of several places in the holy land.

1. One of the cities of the allotment of Benjamin. (Joshua 18:25) Its site is at er-Ram , about five miles from Jerusalem, and near to Gibeah. (Judges 4:5; 19:13; 1 Samuel 22:6) Its people returned after the captivity. (Ezra 2:26; Nehemiah 7:30)
2. The home of Elkanah, Samuel's father, (1 Samuel 1:19; 2:11) the birthplace of Samuel himself, his home and official residence, the site of his altar ch. (1 Samuel 7:17; 8:4; 15:34; 16:13; 19:18) and finally his burial-place, ch. (1 Samuel 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, (1 Samuel 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. (Joshua 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, (Joshua 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 (2 Kings 8:29) and 2 Chronicles 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. (Nehemiah 11:33)

Ramatha, raised; lofty

A city of Simeon.
Joshua 19:8

(Heb. Ramath-negeb). The Heb. negeb is the general designation for south or south-west of Judah. This was one of the towns of Simeon (Joshua 19:8). It is the same as "south Ramoth" (1 Samuel 30:27; R.V., "Ramoth of the south"). Its site is doubtful. Some have thought it another name for Baalath-beer.

one of the towns at the extreme south limit of Simeon. (Joshua 19:8) It is in all probability the same place as south Ramoth. (1 Samuel 30:27)

The two heights of the Zophites or of the watchers (only in 1 Samuel 1:1), "in the land of Zuph" (9:5). Ramathaim is another name for Ramah (4).

One of the Levitical families descended from Kohath, that of Zuph or Zophai (1 Chronicles 6:26, 35), had a district assigned to them in Ephraim, which from this circumstance was called "the land of Zuph," and hence the name of the town, "Zophim." It was the birth-place of Samuel and the seat of his authority (1 Samuel 2:11; 7:17). It is frequently mentioned in the history of that prophet and of David (15:34; 16:13; 19:18-23). Here Samuel died and was buried (25:1).

This town has been identified with the modern Neby Samwil ("the prophet Samuel"), about 4 or 5 miles north-west of Jerusalem. But there is no certainty as to its precise locality. Some have supposed that it may be identical with Arimathea of the New Testament. (See MIZPAH).

(the two heights of the watchers). [RAMAH, 2]

the two watch-towers

See Ramah, 4

Ramah, 4

The designation given to Shimei, the manager of David's vineyard (1 Chronicles 27:27).

Shimei the Ramathite, i.e. a native of Ramah, had charge of the royal vineyards of King David. (1 Chronicles 27:27) (B.C. 1050.)

Elevation of Lehi, or the jawbone height; i.e., the Ramah of Lehi (Judges 15:15-17). The phrase "in the jaw," ver. 19, Authorized Version, is in the margin, also in the Revised Version, "in Lehi." Here Samson slew a thousand Philistines with a jawbone.

(hill of the jawbone , or hill of Lehi), the name bestowed by Samson on the scene of his slaughter of the thousand Philistines with the jaw bone, (Judges 15:17) a place by the rock Elam, in western Judah of the Philistines.

elevation of the jaw-bone

Place where Samson slew a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass.
Judges 15:17

The height of Mizpeh or of the watch-tower (Joshua 13:26), a place mentioned as one of the limits of Gad. There were two Mizpehs on the east of the Jordan. This was the Mizpeh where Jacob and Laban made a covenant, "Mizpeh of Gilead," called also Galeed and Jegar-sahadutha. It has been identified with the modern es-Salt, where the roads from Jericho and from Shechem to Damascus unite, about 25 miles east of the Jordan and 13 south of the Jabbok.

(high place of the watch-tower). [RAMOTH-GILEAD]

elevation of the watch-tower

A town in Gad.
Joshua 13:26