Hammoth-dor
Hammoth-dor is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Galilee in modern-day Israel. Known today as Hamat Tiberias. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Hammoth-dor is recorded in Joshua 21:32 as one of the Levitical cities assigned with its pasture lands to the Gershonites from within the tribal territory of Naphtali: 'Out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its pasturelands (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Hammoth-dor with its pasturelands, and Kartan with its pasturelands — three cities.' The inclusion of 'dor' in the name, meaning 'generation' or possibly a deity name, may distinguish this site from the similar Hammath or Hammon. As a Levitical city, Hammoth-dor served as a center for priestly ministry in northern Galilee, providing a base from which Gershonite Levites could instruct the surrounding Naphtalite communities in the Mosaic law and maintain covenant worship. The Levitical city system was integral to God's design for distributing religious leadership throughout all of Israel rather than centralizing it. Naphtali's territory, including Hammoth-dor, would later become the region of Zebulun and Naphtali that Isaiah prophesied would see a great light (Isaiah 9:1-2), fulfilled in Jesus's Galilean ministry.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Hammoth-dor is widely identified with Hamat Tiberias on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, south of Tiberias. The name element 'dor' may have distinguished it from nearby Hammath proper, or the name may preserve a divine epithet associated with the local spring deity. Archaeological work at the site has revealed occupation strata consistent with the Israelite period, including Late Bronze and Iron Age ceramics. The site's most celebrated finds are the Byzantine-era synagogue mosaics, but the earlier levels confirm a long history of settlement at this thermally active location. The Gershonite Levitical assignment aligns with the city's position in the tribal heartland of Naphtali.
Verse Appearances (1)
Josh
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →