Hormah
Hormah is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Tel Masos. It appears across 9 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Hormah was a Canaanite city in the Negev whose name, meaning "destruction" or "devotion to destruction" (herem), encapsulates the judgment that fell upon it during Israel's wilderness journeys and the conquest of Canaan. The site's history in Scripture begins with a catastrophic Israelite defeat: when Israel presumed to enter Canaan after God's judgment at Kadesh-barnea, without divine sanction, the Amalekites and Canaanites struck them down "all the way to Hormah" (Numbers 14:45; Deuteronomy 1:44). Later, after Israel vowed to devote Canaanite cities to destruction if God granted victory, they defeated the Canaanites and called the place Hormah (Numbers 21:1-3). The city appears again in the account of Simeon and Judah's joint campaign, where Hormah was conquered and given to Simeon (Judges 1:17). Joshua 12:14 lists Hormah among the conquered Canaanite kings. It was assigned to Simeon within Judah's territory (Joshua 19:4). David later sent a portion of his plunder to the elders of Hormah as a gift (1 Samuel 30:30), indicating a continuing settlement in the region during the early monarchy.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Hormah is widely identified with Tel Masos (Khirbet el-Meshash), one of the largest Iron Age sites in the Negev highlands of modern Israel, situated in the Beer-sheba Valley. Excavations conducted in the 1970s by a joint Israeli-German team revealed substantial Iron Age I occupation, including a large domestic settlement with evidence of agricultural activity, storage facilities, and material culture consistent with early Israelite presence. Significantly, the site shows evidence of destruction and subsequent resettlement. A Middle Bronze Age fortress has also been identified at the site. Tel Masos's size and strategic location at a major Negev crossroads support its identification as a significant center in the region of ancient Hormah/Zephath.
Verse Appearances (9)
Deut
Judg
1Sam
1Chr
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →