Bozkath
Bozkath is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Ed Dawaimeh. It appears across 2 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Bozkath was a city in the Shephelah lowlands of Judah, listed among the towns of the tribe of Judah in the second district of Joshua's territorial allotments (Joshua 15:39). Its most historically significant appearance is as the hometown of Adaiah, the maternal grandfather of King Josiah of Judah (2 Kings 22:1). This brief genealogical note connects Bozkath to one of the most important reforming kings in Israelite history. Josiah, who ascended the throne at age eight, initiated the greatest religious revival in Judah's history upon the discovery of the Book of the Law in the temple during the eighteenth year of his reign. His grandmother's origin in Bozkath thus makes the city a quiet participant in the lineage of covenant renewal. The association of Bozkath with Josiah's family suggests it was a functioning Judahite settlement during the late monarchic period. Though Bozkath itself never takes center stage in any narrative, its place in Josiah's genealogy gives it theological resonance as part of the heritage of a king who turned back to God with all his heart, soul, and might (2 Kings 23:25).
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Bozkath is tentatively identified with Ed-Dawaimeh, a site in the Shephelah of southwestern Judea, though this identification is disputed and some scholars propose alternative locations. The Shephelah lowlands have been extensively surveyed and partially excavated, yielding rich evidence of Judahite settlement throughout the Iron Age. Many sites in this region show evidence of the destruction wrought by Sennacherib's 701 BC campaign, as well as later Babylonian incursions. Without confirmed excavation specifically at the Bozkath site, conclusions about its material culture remain preliminary. The region's agricultural fertility and strategic roads made it an important zone of Judahite settlement throughout the monarchic period.
Verse Appearances (2)
Josh
2Kgs
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]