Ramoth
Ramoth is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Galilee in modern-day Israel. Known today as Kokab el Hawa. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
This Ramoth in the Galilee region is identified with Kokab el-Hawa and appears in 1 Chronicles 6:73 (also listed as Jarmuth in Joshua 21:29) among the Levitical cities assigned to the clan of Gershom within the territory of Issachar. The Levitical city system, established by Joshua at God's command, set aside forty-eight cities throughout Israel for the Levites, who received no tribal territory of their own (Numbers 35:1-8; Joshua 21). These cities served as centers for priestly instruction and the administration of justice. Ramoth's designation as a Levitical city meant it functioned as a place where the knowledge of God's law was preserved and taught to the surrounding population. The distribution of Levitical cities throughout every tribal territory ensured that no part of Israel was far from spiritual leadership. Ramoth of Issachar thus played its quiet but essential role in maintaining covenant faithfulness among God's people in the fertile Jezreel Valley region.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Ramoth of Issachar is identified with Kokab el-Hawa (also known as Kochav HaYarden or Belvoir), a prominent hilltop site in the lower Galilee overlooking the Jordan Valley. The site is best known for its magnificent Crusader fortress, Belvoir Castle, built by the Knights Hospitaller in the twelfth century CE, which has been extensively excavated and is now a national park. Archaeological evidence beneath the Crusader remains indicates earlier occupation, including Iron Age pottery consistent with the biblical period. The site's commanding position, approximately 500 meters above the Jordan Valley floor, provides panoramic views from the Sea of Galilee to Mount Gilboa. The strategic elevation explains both the ancient name Ramoth ("heights") and its selection as a Levitical city, as such prominent locations often served multiple administrative and religious functions.
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]