Ramoth
Ramoth is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Horbat Uza. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
This Ramoth in the Judean region, identified with Horvat Uza (Horbat Uza), appears in 1 Samuel 30:27 among the cities to which David sent portions of the spoil recovered from the Amalekites after the raid on Ziklag. The name may also be rendered as "Ramoth of the Negev" or "South Ramoth," distinguishing it from other cities bearing the same name. David's distribution of plunder to these southern Judean towns was a shrewd act of political generosity, strengthening ties with communities that had sheltered him during his years as a fugitive from Saul (1 Samuel 30:26-31). By sharing the recovered goods, David demonstrated loyalty to those who had supported him, building the coalition that would eventually bring him to the throne of all Israel. Ramoth's inclusion in this list indicates it was among the network of settlements in the Negev that recognized David's leadership, contributing to his rise from outlaw to king and fulfilling God's sovereign plan for the Davidic dynasty.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Horvat Uza (Horbat Uza) is located in the Arad Valley of the northern Negev, approximately 8 kilometers southeast of Tel Arad. The site was excavated by Itzhaq Beit-Arieh and Bruce Cresson in the 1980s, revealing a well-preserved Iron Age fortress with a casemate wall, four-room houses, and a gatehouse. The fortress dates primarily to the seventh and sixth centuries BCE, slightly later than the Davidic period. An important collection of Edomite pottery and inscriptions was found alongside Hebrew material, suggesting contact or conflict with Edomite populations. An earlier Iron Age I presence has also been detected. The site provides significant evidence for Judah's system of Negev fortresses, which guarded trade routes and the southern frontier. Today the ruins are accessible but not developed as a major tourist site.
Verse Appearances (1)
1Sam
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]