Remeth
Remeth 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
Remeth appears in the tribal allotment of Issachar as one of the cities within that tribe's inheritance in the land of Canaan (Joshua 19:21). The city is generally identified with Ramoth and Jarmuth mentioned elsewhere in Scripture, as these names likely represent variant forms of the same location. Issachar's territory occupied the fertile Jezreel Valley and surrounding hills in the lower Galilee, one of the most agriculturally productive regions in all of Canaan. This territory held strategic importance as it controlled major trade and military routes connecting the coastal plain with the Jordan Valley and points north. Remeth, situated on the highlands overlooking these routes, would have served as a settlement guarding approaches to the valley. The city was later designated as a Levitical city for the Gershonite clan (1 Chronicles 6:73, where it appears as Ramoth), fulfilling the mandate that Levites be distributed throughout all the tribes to provide spiritual instruction and maintain the worship of the Lord throughout the land.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Remeth is identified with Kokab el-Hawa (modern Kochav HaYarden), a prominent hilltop site in the lower Galilee of Israel overlooking the Jordan Valley. The site is dominated by the impressive Crusader fortress of Belvoir (Kokhav HaYarden), built by the Knights Hospitaller in the twelfth century. Beneath and around the Crusader remains, archaeological surveys have identified pottery and other material from the Bronze and Iron Ages, confirming earlier occupation. The site commands sweeping views of the Jordan Valley, Beth-shean, and Mount Gilboa, underscoring its strategic military value across multiple historical periods. The hilltop position, rising some 500 meters above the Jordan Valley floor, made it a natural defensive location.
Verse Appearances (1)
Josh
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →