Atomic Bible

A major city and kingdom in Syria, often mentioned in the Bible.

Hamath

Named in 34 verses across 13 books, first in Numbers 13:21.

חֲמָתHamath

חֲמַת רַבָּהHamath the great

לְב֥וֹאLebo-hamath

חֲמָת+H0935H«H0935Lebo/-hamath

Also called Hamath the great, Lebo-hamath, Lebo/-hamath.

The name means “anger; heat; a wall.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869

About Hamath Written by AI

Hamath, also referred to as Hamath Rabbah or Lebo-hamath, was a prominent city and kingdom located in Syria, north of Israel. It is mentioned numerous times throughout the Old Testament, often serving as a reference point for the northern extent of Israel's territory (Numbers 13:21; 34:8; Joshua 13:5; Judges 3:3; 1Ki.8.65; 2Ch.7.8; Ezk.47.15-17, 20; 48:1; Amo.6.14). Hamath had its own kings, such as Toi, who sent his son Joram to congratulate David on his victories over Hadadezer (2Sa.8.9-10; 1Ch.18.9-10). The city was known for its military strength and strategic importance, as evidenced by its mentions in the context of conflicts and conquests (2Ki.14.28; 17:24, 30; 18:34; 19:13; Isaiah 10:9; 36:19; 37:13; Jeremiah 39:5; 49:23; 52:9, 27). During the reigns of various Israelite kings, Hamath served as a marker of the extent of their dominion. Jeroboam II, king of Israel, is said to have restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath to the Sea of the Arabah (2Ki.14.25). Solomon, known for his expansive kingdom, is described as having ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt, including Tiphsah and Gaza (1Ki.4.21, 24). The Assyrians conquered Hamath in the 8th century BC and deported some of its inhabitants to Samaria (2Ki.17.24, 30). The fall of Hamath is mentioned in the prophetic oracles of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Amos, often in the context of judgment against the city for its pride and wickedness (Isaiah 10:9; Jeremiah 49:23; Amo.6.2). In the prophetic visions of Ezekiel, Hamath is mentioned as one of the boundaries of the restored land of Israel (Ezk.47.15-17, 20; 48:1), indicating its continued significance as a geographical marker. The exact location of Hamath is believed to be near the modern-day city of Hama in western Syria, situated along the Orontes River. Its strategic location along trade routes and its proximity to Israel made it a city of great importance in the ancient Near East.

Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.

Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897

Fortress, the capital of one of the kingdoms of Upper Syria of the same name, on the Orontes, in the valley of Lebanon, at the northern boundary of Palestine (Num. 13:21; 34:8), at the foot of Hermon (Josh. 13:5) towards Damascus (Zech. 9:2; Jer. 49:23). It is called “Hamath the great” in Amos 6:2, and “Hamath-zobah” in 2 Chr. 8:3.

Hamath, now Hamah, had an Aramaean population, but Hittite monuments discovered there show that it must have been at one time occupied by the Hittites. It was among the conquests of the Pharaoh Thothmes III. Its king, Tou or Toi, made alliance with David (2 Sam. 8:10), and in B.C. 740 Azariah formed a league with it against Assyria. It was, however, conquered by the Assyrians, and its nineteen districts placed under Assyrian governors. In B.C. 720 it revolted under a certain Yahu-bihdi, whose name, compounded with that of the God of Israel (Yahu), perhaps shows that he was of Jewish origin. But the revolt was suppressed, and the people of Hamath were transported to Samaria (2 Kings 17:24, 30), where they continued to worship their god Ashima. Hamah is beautifully situated on the Orontes, 32 miles north of Emesa, and 36 south of the ruins of Assamea.

Read the rest of the entry

The kingdom of Hamath comprehended the great plain lying on both banks of the Orontes from the fountain near Riblah to Assamea on the north, and from Lebanon on the west to the desert on the east. The “entrance of Hamath” (Num. 34:8), which was the north boundary of Palestine, led from the west between the north end of Lebanon and the Nusairiyeh mountains.

M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.

35.136, 36.749 See it on a map

GenesisMatthewRevelation

Where the Bible names it

  1. Numbers 13:21

    So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo-hamath.

  2. Numbers 34:8

    and from Mount Hor to Lebo-hamath, then extend to Zedad,

  3. Joshua 13:5

    the land of the Gebalites; and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo-hamath.

  4. Judges 3:3

    the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath.

  5. 2 Samuel 8:9

    When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,

  6. 1 Kings 8:65

    So at that time Solomon and all Israel with him—a great assembly of people from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt—kept the feast before the LORD our God for seven days and seven more days—fourteen days in all.

  7. 2 Kings 14:25

    This Jeroboam restored the boundary of Israel from Lebo-hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word that the LORD, the God of Israel, had spoken through His servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher.

  8. 2 Kings 14:28

    As for the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, along with all his accomplishments and might, and how he waged war and recovered both Damascus and Hamath for Israel from Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

  9. 2 Kings 17:24

    Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns.

  10. 2 Kings 17:30

    The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima,

  11. 2 Kings 18:34

    Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand?

  12. 2 Kings 19:13

    Where are the kings of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?’”

  13. 2 Kings 23:33

    And Pharaoh Neco imprisoned Jehoahaz at Riblah in the land of Hamath so that he could not reign in Jerusalem, and he imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

  14. 2 Kings 25:21

    There at Riblah in the land of Hamath, the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death. So Judah was taken into exile, away from its own land.

  15. 1 Chronicles 13:5

    So David assembled all Israel, from the River Shihor in Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.

  16. 1 Chronicles 18:9

    When King Tou of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah,

  17. 2 Chronicles 7:8

    So at that time Solomon and all Israel with him—a very great assembly of people from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt—kept the feast for seven days.

  18. 2 Chronicles 8:4

    He built Tadmor in the wilderness, in addition to all the store cities that he had built in Hamath.

  19. Isaiah 10:9

    “Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus?

  20. Isaiah 11:11

    On that day the Lord will extend His hand a second time to recover the remnant of His people from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

  21. Isaiah 36:19

    Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand?

  22. Isaiah 37:13

    Where are the kings of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?’”

  23. Jeremiah 39:5

    But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They seized him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him.

  24. Jeremiah 49:23

    Concerning Damascus: “Hamath and Arpad are put to shame, for they have heard a bad report; they are agitated like the sea; their anxiety cannot be calmed.

  25. Jeremiah 52:9

    The Chaldeans seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on Zedekiah.

  26. Jeremiah 52:27

    There at Riblah in the land of Hamath, the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death. So Judah was taken into exile, away from its own land.

  27. Ezekiel 47:15

    This shall be the boundary of the land: On the north side it will extend from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon through Lebo-hamath to Zedad,

  28. Ezekiel 47:16

    Berothah, and Sibraim (which is on the border between Damascus and Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran.

  29. Ezekiel 47:17

    So the border will run from the Sea to Hazar-enan, along the northern border of Damascus, with the territory of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern boundary.

  30. Ezekiel 47:20

    And on the west side, the Great Sea will be the boundary up to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This will be the western boundary.

  31. Ezekiel 48:1

    “Now these are the names of the tribes: At the northern frontier, Dan will have one portion bordering the road of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath and running on to Hazar-enan on the border of Damascus with Hamath to the north, and extending from the east side to the west side.

  32. Amos 6:2

    Cross over to Calneh and see; go from there to the great Hamath; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours?

  33. Amos 6:14

    For behold, I will raise up a nation against you, O house of Israel,” declares the LORD, the God of Hosts, “and they will oppress you from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of the Arabah.”

  34. Zechariah 9:2

    and also against Hamath, which borders it, as well as Tyre and Sidon, though they are very shrewd.

From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.