Jokmeam
Jokmeam is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Galilee in modern-day Israel. Known today as Tel al Mazar. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Jokmeam appears in 1 Kings 4:12, where it is referenced in connection with Solomon's administrative reorganization of Israel. Solomon divided his kingdom into twelve districts, each responsible for providing provisions for the royal court for one month of the year. Jokmeam fell within the district administered by Baana son of Ahilud, which encompassed the fertile territory of Taanach, Megiddo, and the region of Beth-shean. This placement situates Jokmeam in the agriculturally rich Jezreel Valley corridor, an area of immense strategic and economic importance. The city's inclusion in this administrative list underscores its role as part of the prosperous northern territories that helped sustain Solomon's grand building projects and extensive court. Some scholars also connect Jokmeam with the Levitical city lists in 1 Chronicles 6:68, where a city in the territory of Ephraim was assigned to the Kohathite Levites, though textual variants complicate this identification. In either case, Jokmeam served as a functioning settlement in Israel's administrative and religious infrastructure during the united monarchy.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Jokmeam has been identified by some scholars with Tel al-Mazar, situated in the Jordan Valley near the confluence of the Jabbok and Jordan rivers. However, this identification remains debated, and other scholars have proposed Tel Qaimun near Megiddo as an alternative. Tel al-Mazar was excavated by Jordanian archaeologists in the 1970s and 1980s, revealing significant Bronze and Iron Age remains, including a temple complex and cemetery. The site's location in the fertile valley aligns with the agricultural productivity implied by its role in Solomon's provisioning district. Pottery, metalwork, and architectural remains confirm continuous occupation through multiple periods, though definitively linking these finds to the biblical Jokmeam requires further study.
Verse Appearances (1)
1Chr
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- OpenBible.info (n.d.) Bible Geocoding. Available at: https://www.openbible.info/geo/. [CC BY 4.0]
- Bagnall, R. et al. (eds.) (n.d.) Pleiades: A Gazetteer of Past Places. Available at: https://pleiades.stoa.org. [CC BY 3.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Lawrence, D. et al. (2025) Villages to Empires: a settlement dataset for the Southern Levant. doi:10.5281/zenodo.15111732. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]