Rakkath
Rakkath is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Galilee in modern-day Israel. Known today as Tel Raqqat. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Rakkath is mentioned in Joshua 19:35 as one of the fortified cities allotted to the tribe of Naphtali during the distribution of the Promised Land. It appears in a list alongside Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, and other cities within Naphtali's inheritance in the upper Galilee and along the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. The name Rakkath may derive from a Hebrew root meaning "shore" or "bank," which accords with its lakeside location. Though Rakkath appears only this once in Scripture, rabbinic tradition (Talmud Megillah 6a) identifies it with the later city of Tiberias, built by Herod Antipas around AD 20 on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. If this identification is correct, then Rakkath's location placed it near the center of Jesus' Galilean ministry, in the region where much of the gospel narrative unfolded. Naphtali's territory is specifically referenced in Isaiah 9:1 and Matthew 4:15-16 as the land that would see a great light, connecting this region to messianic prophecy and its fulfillment in Christ's ministry.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Rakkath is identified with Tel Raqqat (also known as Khirbet el-Quneitira), a small mound located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, approximately one kilometer north of ancient Tiberias. Excavations at the site have uncovered remains from the Middle Bronze Age through the Iron Age, including fortification walls, domestic structures, and pottery assemblages consistent with a fortified Canaanite and Israelite town. The Talmudic identification with Tiberias has led some scholars to suggest that the older settlement at Tel Raqqat was eventually superseded by the Herodian city built slightly to the south. The tel's strategic position on a rise overlooking the lake and controlling access to the surrounding agricultural land explains its designation as a fortified city. The site offers panoramic views of the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights to the east.
Verse Appearances (1)
Josh
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →