Atomic Bible

A city in Benjamin; a place of gathering and judgment

Mizpah

Named in 50 verses across 12 books, first in Joshua 18:26.

מִצְפָּהMizpah

מִצְפֶּהMizpeh

רָמָהRamah

רָמָתַיִם צוֹפִיםRamathaim-zophim

ἈριμαθαίαArimathea

Also called Mizpeh, Ramah, Ramathaim-zophim, Arimathea.

The name means “Mizpeh, a watch-tower; speculation.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869

About Mizpah Written by AI

Mizpah, also known as Mizpeh, Ramah, Ramathaim-zophim, or Arimathea, was a city located in the tribal territory of Benjamin, near the border with Ephraim. It was an important religious and political center during the period of the judges and the early monarchy. During the time of the judges, the Israelites gathered at Mizpah to address the crisis involving the tribe of Benjamin and the concubine at Gibeah (Judges 20:1, 3; 21:1, 5, 8). Later, the prophet Samuel summoned the people to Mizpah for prayer, repentance, and deliverance from the Philistines (1Sa.7.5-7, 11-12, 16). Samuel also gathered the Israelites at Mizpah to appoint Saul as their first king (1Sa.10.17). Mizpah was the hometown and burial place of Samuel (1Sa.1.19; 2:11; 7:17; 8:4; 15:34; 16:13; 19:18-23; 20:1; 25:1; 28:3). It was also the city of Joseph of Arimathea, the wealthy disciple who provided the tomb for Jesus' burial (Matthew 27:57; Mrk.15.43; Luke 23:50-51; Jhn.19.38). During the divided monarchy, King Asa of Judah fortified Mizpah using materials from the dismantled fortifications of Ramah (1Ki.15.22; 2Ch.16.6). After the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem, Mizpah served as the administrative center for the remnant of Judah under Gedaliah (2Ki.25.23, 25; Jeremiah 40:6, 8, 10, 12-13, 15; 41:1, 3, 6, 10, 14, 16).

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

Or Miz’peh, watch-tower; the look-out. (1.) A place in Gilead, so named by Laban, who overtook Jacob at this spot (Gen. 31:49) on his return to Palestine from Padan-aram. Here Jacob and Laban set up their memorial cairn of stones. It is the same as Ramath-mizpeh (Josh. 13:26).

(2.) A town in Gilead, where Jephthah resided, and where he assumed the command of the Israelites in a time of national danger. Here he made his rash vow; and here his daughter submitted to her mysterious fate (Judg. 10:17; 11:11, 34). It may be the same as Ramoth-Gilead (Josh. 20:8), but it is more likely that it is identical with the foregoing, the Mizpeh of Gen. 31:23, 25, 48, 49.

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(3.) Another place in Gilead, at the foot of Mount Hermon, inhabited by Hivites (Josh. 11:3, 8). The name in Hebrew here has the article before it, “the Mizpeh,” “the watch-tower.” The modern village of Metullah, meaning also “the look-out,” probably occupies the site so called.

(4.) A town of Moab to which David removed his parents for safety during his persecution by Saul (1 Sam. 22:3). This was probably the citadel known as Kir-Moab, now Kerak. While David resided here he was visited by the prophet Gad, here mentioned for the first time, who was probably sent by Samuel to bid him leave the land of Moab and betake himself to the land of Judah. He accordingly removed to the forest of Hareth (q.v.), on the edge of the mountain chain of Hebron.

(5.) A city of Benjamin, “the watch-tower”, where the people were accustomed to meet in great national emergencies (Josh. 18:26; Judg. 20:1, 3; 21:1, 5; 1 Sam. 7:5-16). It has been supposed to be the same as Nob (1 Sam. 21:1; 22:9-19). It was some 4 miles north-west of Jerusalem, and was situated on the loftiest hill in the neighbourhood, some 600 feet above the plain of Gibeon. This village has the modern name of Neby Samwil, i.e., the prophet Samuel, from a tradition that Samuel’s tomb is here. (See NOB.)

Samuel inaugurated the reformation that characterized his time by convening a great assembly of all Israel at Mizpeh, now the politico-religious centre of the nation. There, in deep humiliation on account of their sins, they renewed their vows and entered again into covenant with the God of their fathers. It was a period of great religious awakening and of revived national life. The Philistines heard of this assembly, and came up against Israel. The Hebrews charged the Philistine host with great fury, and they were totally routed. Samuel commemorated this signal victory by erecting a memorial-stone, which he called “Ebenezer” (q.v.), saying, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us” (1 Sam. 7:7-12).

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

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GenesisMatthewRevelation

Where the Bible names it

  1. Joshua 18:26

    Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah,

  2. Judges 20:1

    Then all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came out, and the congregation assembled as one man before the LORD at Mizpah.

  3. Judges 20:3

    (Meanwhile the Benjamites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.) And the Israelites asked, “Tell us, how did this wicked thing happen?”

  4. Judges 21:1

    Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”

  5. Judges 21:5

    The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.

  6. Judges 21:8

    So they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah?” And, in fact, no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp for the assembly.

  7. 1 Samuel 1:1

    Now there was a man named Elkanah who was from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

  8. 1 Samuel 1:19

    The next morning they got up early to bow in worship before the LORD, and then they returned home to Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her.

  9. 1 Samuel 2:11

    Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy began ministering to the LORD before Eli the priest.

  10. 1 Samuel 7:5

    Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD on your behalf.”

  11. 1 Samuel 7:6

    When they had gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted, and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.

  12. 1 Samuel 7:7

    When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers marched up toward Israel. And when the Israelites learned of this, they feared the Philistines

  13. 1 Samuel 7:11

    Then the men of Israel charged out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, striking them down all the way to an area below Beth-car.

  14. 1 Samuel 7:12

    Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”

  15. 1 Samuel 7:16

    Every year he would go on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all these places.

  16. 1 Samuel 7:17

    Then he would return to Ramah because his home was there, and there he judged Israel and built an altar to the LORD.

  17. 1 Samuel 8:4

    So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.

  18. 1 Samuel 10:17

    After this, Samuel summoned the people to the LORD at Mizpah

  19. 1 Samuel 15:34

    Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul.

  20. 1 Samuel 16:13

    So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.

  21. 1 Samuel 19:18

    So David ran away and escaped. And he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there.

  22. 1 Samuel 19:19

    When Saul was told that David was at Naioth in Ramah,

  23. 1 Samuel 19:22

    Finally, Saul himself left for Ramah and came to the large cistern at Secu, where he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” “At Naioth in Ramah,” he was told.

  24. 1 Samuel 19:23

    So Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. But the Spirit of God came upon even Saul, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

  25. 1 Samuel 20:1

    Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? How have I sinned against your father, that he wants to take my life?”

  26. 1 Samuel 25:1

    When Samuel died, all Israel gathered to mourn for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David set out and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.

  27. 1 Samuel 28:3

    Now by this time Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.

  28. 1 Kings 15:22

    Then King Asa summoned all the men of Judah, with no exceptions, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had used for building. And with these materials King Asa built up Geba of Benjamin, as well as Mizpah.

  29. 2 Kings 25:23

    When all the commanders of the armies and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite, as well as their men.

  30. 2 Kings 25:25

    In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family, came with ten men and struck down and killed Gedaliah, along with the Judeans and Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.

  31. 2 Chronicles 16:6

    Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had used for building. And with these materials he built up Geba and Mizpah.

  32. Nehemiah 3:7

    Next to them, repairs were made by Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, and the men of Gibeon and Mizpah, who were under the authority of the governor of the region west of the Euphrates.

  33. Nehemiah 3:15

    The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofed it, and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Shelah near the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that descend from the City of David.

  34. Nehemiah 3:19

    And next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armory, near the angle in the wall.

  35. Jeremiah 40:6

    So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land.

  36. Jeremiah 40:8

    they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite—they and their men.

  37. Jeremiah 40:10

    As for me, I will stay in Mizpah to represent you before the Chaldeans who come to us. As for you, gather wine grapes, summer fruit, and oil, place them in your storage jars, and live in the cities you have taken.”

  38. Jeremiah 40:12

    they all returned from all the places to which they had been banished and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they gathered an abundance of wine grapes and summer fruit.

  39. Jeremiah 40:13

    Meanwhile, Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah

  40. Jeremiah 40:15

    Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah at Mizpah. “Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah,” he said. “No one will know it. Why should he take your life and scatter all the people of Judah who have gathered to you, so that the remnant of Judah would perish?”

And 10 more

Jeremiah 41:1, 41:3, 41:6, 41:10, 41:14, 41:16

Matthew 27:57

Mark 15:43

Luke 23:51

John 19:38

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