Horem
Horem is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Phoenicia in modern-day Israel. Known today as Hariss. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Horem is a city in the tribal territory of Naphtali, mentioned only once in Scripture within the detailed list of fortified cities allocated to the tribe of Naphtali following the conquest of Canaan (Joshua 19:38). It appears alongside other Naphtalite settlements including Iron, Migdal-el, and Beth-anath as part of the boundary and city descriptions that define Naphtali's inheritance in the northern regions of the Promised Land. Though Horem receives no further mention in the biblical narrative and is associated with no specific events or persons, its inclusion in the tribal allotment list reflects the comprehensive settlement of the land under Joshua. Naphtali occupied the fertile region of the upper Jordan Valley and the highlands west of the Sea of Galilee — territory that would later become significant in the ministry of Jesus, who conducted much of his Galilean ministry in the region that had been ancient Naphtali's inheritance (Matthew 4:13-16, fulfilling Isaiah 9:1-2). Horem's placement in this northern tribal zone connects it, at least geographically, to this broader redemptive-historical significance.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Horem is tentatively identified with the modern site of Hariss (or Harrawi), located in the hills of Upper Galilee in northern Israel. The identification is based primarily on phonetic similarity and geographical proximity to other Naphtalite sites named in Joshua 19. No formal excavations have been conducted specifically at this site with reference to the biblical Horem. The Upper Galilee region has been extensively surveyed, revealing Iron Age settlements consistent with Israelite tribal occupation. The area's rugged limestone terrain and strategic hilltop positions characterize the settlement geography of northern Naphtali throughout the Iron Age. The precise location of Horem remains uncertain, and alternative identifications have been proposed by various biblical geographers.
Verse Appearances (1)
Josh
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →