Zair
Zair is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Al Safi. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Zair appears in a single but historically significant passage in the Old Testament. In 2 Kings 8:21, King Joram of Judah is recorded as going to Zair with all his chariots in a military campaign against Edom. The Edomites had rebelled against Judahite authority, and Joram launched a night assault against them, breaking through their encirclement — yet the rebellion was not ultimately suppressed, and Edom successfully asserted its independence at that time. This episode is part of the broader narrative of the fracturing of Judah's southern dominions during the reign of Joram (848–841 BC), a period the books of Kings characterize as one of spiritual and political decline. The location of Zair in the Judean south, near Edomite territory, makes it a fitting staging ground for such a campaign. The site's placement near what is today Al Safi in the southern Jordan Valley rift region situates it in the contested borderlands where Judah and Edom repeatedly clashed throughout the monarchic period. Though mentioned only once, Zair marks a turning point in Judah's control over its southeastern frontier.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
The identification of Zair with Al Safi, located at the southern end of the Dead Sea in the Ghor region of modern Jordan, is supported by the geographical logic of the 2 Kings 8:21 account, which places the battle in southern Transjordan. Al Safi sits near the ancient road routes connecting Judah and Edom through the Arabah. The area has yielded Iron Age remains consistent with the ninth-century BC context of Joram's campaign. However, the precise identification remains disputed, with some scholars suggesting alternative locations further into Edomite territory. No systematic excavation specifically targeting Zair has been conducted at this site.
Verse Appearances (1)
2Kgs
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →