Alemeth
Alemeth is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Khirbet Almit. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Alemeth is listed in Joshua 21:18 as one of the cities in Benjamin given to the Aaronite priests, making it a Levitical city of notable religious significance. Its parallel entry in 1 Chronicles 6:60 confirms the city's role in the priestly inheritance system. The inclusion of Alemeth among the Levitical cities reflects the design of the settlement arrangement whereby priests and Levites were dispersed throughout the tribal territories to serve the spiritual needs of Israel's population. Located in the Benjaminite highlands northeast of Jerusalem, Alemeth would have been accessible to travelers moving through the central hill country. The city also appears in the genealogical records of 1 Chronicles 8:36 and 9:42 as a place name associated with descendants of King Saul's lineage through Jonathan, suggesting it had personal significance to the royal house of Benjamin and was part of the social memory of the tribe. Its priestly designation underscores the Torah's vision of sacred geography woven into everyday territorial life.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Alemeth is commonly identified with Khirbet Almit, a ruin site located northeast of Jerusalem in the Benjaminite hill country, close to the ancient town of Anathoth. The site preserves surface remains and architectural traces that point to Iron Age occupation. Anathoth, famous as the birthplace of the prophet Jeremiah, lies in the same general area and has been more extensively studied. The proximity of Khirbet Almit to Anathoth supports the identification, as the biblical lists often group these towns together. Surface survey material from the site and its vicinity includes pottery from the Iron Age II period, consistent with the time frame of the Levitical city system and the monarchic period references to the Saulide genealogy.
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]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]