Hebrew word · H7418

רָמוֹת

ramot

Ramoth

'Heights of Gilead': a fortified town in northern Transjordan, the land east of the Jordan. It was a Levitical town and one of the cities of refuge (Deut 4:43; Josh 20:8; 21:38).

Appears 22 times in 22 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

Ramoth= "heights"

a place in Judah which received presents from David

Another name of ra.mot gi.l.ad (רָמֹת "Ramoth" H7433)

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 1 Kings 22:20

Range of meaning

'Heights of Gilead': a fortified town in northern Transjordan, the land east of the Jordan. It was a Levitical town and one of the cities of refuge (Deut 4:43; Josh 20:8; 21:38). It is commonly identified with Tell er-Rumeith near modern Ramtha, on the Jordan–Syria border, though this is not certain.

Against the English

Translations handle the name in different ways (Ramoth-gilead, Ramoth Gilead, Ramoth-Gilead), but the meaning is the same.

Used elsewhere in the period

Ahab claims it as Israel's (22:3). Later it remains a battlefield with Aram: Joram is wounded there and Jehu is anointed there (2 Kgs 8:28–9:14).

From the study of 2 Chronicles 18:2

Range of meaning

'Heights of Gilead.' A fortified town in Gilead east of the Jordan. Most scholars identify it with Tell er-Rumeith in northern Jordan; some prefer other nearby mounds.

Against the English

English versions simply transliterate the name.

Used elsewhere in the period

Deut 4:43 and Josh 20:8: a city of refuge. Josh 21:38: a Levitical city. 1 Kgs 4:13: Solomon's district centre. 1 Kgs 22 / 2 Chr 18: contested with Aram. 2 Kgs 8:28–9:1: still contested under Joram, and the place where Jehu was anointed.

From the study of 2 Chronicles 18:3

Range of meaning

'Heights of Gilead'. A fortified town in northern Transjordan, usually identified with Tell er-Rumeith in modern Jordan. It was a Levitical city and a city of refuge (Deut 4:43; Josh 20:8; 21:38).

Against the English

BSB's 'against Ramoth-gilead' supplies a preposition the Hebrew does not have. KJV/WEB 'to Ramoth-gilead' are closer, and both are fair readings.

Used elsewhere in the period

Fought over by Israel and Aram-Damascus in the 9th century BC (1 Kgs 22:3; 2 Kgs 8:28–9:1). Under Solomon it was an administrative center (1 Kgs 4:13).

Where it appears

1 Samuel · 1

  1. 1 Samuel 30:27 בְּרָמֽוֹת־ [were] in Ramoth

    He sent gifts to those in Bethel, Ramoth Negev, and Jattir;

1 Kings · 8

  1. 1 Kings 4:13 בְּרָמֹ֣ת in Ramoth

    Ben-geber in Ramoth-gilead (the villages of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead belonged to him, as well as the region of Argob in Bashan with its sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars);

  2. 1 Kings 22:3 רָמֹ֣ת Ramoth

    who said to his servants, “Do you not know that Ramoth-gilead is ours, but we have failed to take it from the hand of the king of Aram?”

  3. 1 Kings 22:4 רָמֹ֣ת Ramoth

    So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.”

  4. 1 Kings 22:6 רָמֹ֥ת Ramoth

    So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

    Here: The name means 'heights'. It suits a fortified town on the high plateau east of the Jordan, and it explains why the answer is 'go up'.

  5. 1 Kings 22:12 רָמֹ֤ת Ramoth

    And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

  6. 1 Kings 22:15 רָמֹ֥ת Ramoth

    When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

  7. 1 Kings 22:20 בְּרָמֹ֣ת at Ramoth

    And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one suggested this, and another that.

    Here: 'At Ramoth' ('Heights'). The preposition marks the place where he will fall.

  8. 1 Kings 22:29 רָמֹ֥ת Ramoth

    So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.

2 Kings · 4

  1. 2 Kings 8:28 בְּרָמֹ֣ת at Ramoth

    Then Ahaziah went with Joram son of Ahab to fight against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead, and the Arameans wounded Joram.

  2. 2 Kings 9:1 רָמֹ֥ת Ramoth

    Now Elisha the prophet summoned one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak under your belt, take this flask of oil, and go to Ramoth-gilead.

    Here: The first part of the place name. It is the destination of "go", with no preposition, which is normal Hebrew for where someone goes.

  3. 2 Kings 9:4 רָמֹ֥ת Ramoth

    So the young prophet went to Ramoth-gilead,

  4. 2 Kings 9:14 בְּרָמֹ֣ת at Ramoth

    Thus Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. (Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram,

2 Chronicles · 8

  1. 2 Chronicles 18:2 רָמ֥וֹת Ramoth

    And some years later he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria, where Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him and urged him to march up to Ramoth-gilead.

    Here: Ramoth, a fortified town whose name means 'heights'.

  2. 2 Chronicles 18:3 רָמֹ֣ת Ramoth

    Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat replied, “I am as you are, and my people are your people; we will join you in the war.”

    Here: First part of the town name Ramoth-gilead, 'Heights of Gilead'. The Hebrew has no 'against' or 'to'. Going to a place with an army is enough to mean attacking it.

  3. 2 Chronicles 18:5 רָמֹ֥ת Ramoth

    So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and asked them, “Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and God will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

    Here: First half of the town name. The name means 'Heights', which suits the verb 'go up' used in the answer.

  4. 2 Chronicles 18:11 רָמֹ֤ת Ramoth

    And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

  5. 2 Chronicles 18:14 רָמֹ֥ת Ramoth

    When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for they will be delivered into your hand.”

  6. 2 Chronicles 18:19 בְּרָמ֣וֹת at Ramoth

    And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one suggested this, and another that.

  7. 2 Chronicles 18:28 רָמֹ֥ת Ramoth

    So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.

  8. 2 Chronicles 22:5 בְּרָמ֣וֹת at Ramoth

    Ahaziah also followed their counsel and went with Joram son of Ahab king of Israel to fight against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. But the Arameans wounded Joram.

Ezra · 1

  1. Ezra 10:29 וְרָמֽוֹת׃ ס and Ramoth

    From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.