Charax; Characa
A Refuge for Jews East of the Jordan
Charax, sometimes rendered Characa, was a fortified settlement located in the Transjordan region, east of the Jordan River. It is mentioned exclusively in 2 Maccabees 12:17, where it is described as a place inhabited by Jews called the Tubieni. These were Jewish inhabitants of the region of Tob (or Tobie) in Gilead, an area with a long biblical history stretching back to the time of the judges when Jephthah fled there (Judges 11:3).
The Context of Judas Maccabeus's Campaign
The mention of Charax comes during the account of Judas Maccabeus's military campaigns in the 160s BC. During the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire, Jewish communities scattered throughout the Transjordan faced severe persecution from local Gentile populations. First Maccabees 5:9-13 describes how the people of Tob and other regions sent urgent appeals to Judas for help, reporting that many of their number had been killed and their families captured.
Location and Identification
The exact location of Charax remains uncertain. The text places it 750 stadia (approximately 85 miles) from Caspis, another settlement mentioned in the same campaign narrative, but the direction is not specified. One proposed identification connects Charax with Kerak (ancient Kir-moab), located southeast of the Dead Sea in modern Jordan. In post-biblical times, Kerak was known by names including Charamoba and Moboucharax, which contain elements resembling "Charax." However, this identification remains tentative.
The Tubieni: Jews of the Transjordan
The Jewish inhabitants of Charax are called Tubieni, linking them to the region of Tob mentioned in both Judges 11:3 and 1 Maccabees 5:13. This tells us that Jewish settlement in the Transjordan had deep roots. These communities maintained their Jewish identity even while living far from Jerusalem, and their appeal to Judas Maccabeus demonstrates the sense of solidarity among scattered Jewish populations during the crisis of Hellenistic persecution.
Significance for Understanding Jewish Diaspora
Charax provides a small but important window into the lives of Jewish communities living outside the land of Israel proper during the intertestamental period. These communities faced the dual challenge of maintaining their religious identity while surrounded by often hostile neighbors. The Maccabean campaigns to rescue them reflect a theology of communal responsibility and mutual obligation that was central to Jewish self-understanding.
Biblical Context
Charax appears only in 2 Maccabees 12:17, during the narrative of Judas Maccabeus's campaign to rescue persecuted Jewish communities east of the Jordan. The related account in 1 Maccabees 5:9-13 describes the broader context of Jewish communities in Tob and Gilead facing violence and appealing for help. The region of Tob itself appears earlier in Judges 11:3.
Theological Significance
Charax illustrates the theme of God's people maintaining faith while living in hostile surroundings. The rescue campaigns of Judas Maccabeus reflect the covenantal obligation to protect fellow members of the community of faith. The survival of Jewish identity in remote settlements like Charax testifies to the resilience of faith and communal bonds even under severe pressure.
Historical Background
During the Seleucid period (second century BC), Jewish communities were scattered across the Transjordan and faced increasing pressure from Hellenistic cultural forces and local hostility. The Maccabean revolt, triggered by Antiochus IV Epiphanes's persecution of Jewish religion, involved not only the liberation of Jerusalem but also military campaigns to rescue outlying Jewish settlements. The name 'Charax' itself is Greek, meaning 'palisade' or 'fortified camp,' suggesting the settlement had defensive walls.