Rehoboth
Rehoboth is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Transjordan in modern-day Israel. Known today as Ras Rihab. It appears across 2 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Rehoboth appears in the patriarchal narratives as one of the wells dug by Isaac's servants in the region of Gerar. After experiencing conflict with the herdsmen of Gerar over the wells of Esek and Sitnah, Isaac moved on and dug another well over which there was no quarreling (Genesis 26:22). He named it Rehoboth, meaning 'broad places' or 'room,' declaring, 'Now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.' The naming reflects a theological principle: God provides space and blessing for His people even amid opposition and conflict. Isaac's well-digging recapitulated the experience of his father Abraham, who had also contended with the people of Gerar over water rights (Genesis 21:25). The progression from strife to peace at Rehoboth foreshadowed God's pattern of bringing His people through trial into provision. The well's name became a testimony to divine faithfulness, and its story illustrates how the patriarchs claimed the land not through conquest but through the patient, persistent work of digging wells and settling disputes.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Rehoboth has been tentatively identified with Ras Rihab in the Transjordan region, though some scholars prefer a location in the western Negev, such as Ruheibeh or a site along Wadi Ruheibeh. The identification remains uncertain because multiple ancient wells exist in the region, and the patriarchal period predates widespread permanent architectural remains. The Negev and northern Transjordan regions contain numerous ancient well sites that served pastoral communities for millennia. Archaeological surveys have documented networks of wells, cisterns, and associated pastoral installations throughout the area. The arid climate of the region made water resources critically important, lending historical plausibility to the biblical accounts of conflicts over wells.
Verse Appearances (2)
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]