Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJames Hastings Dictionary of the Bible: Hamath
Subjects in this Topic:
HAMATH.—A city on the Orontes, the capital of the kingdom of Hamath, to the territory of which the border of Israel extended in the reign of Solomon (1Ki_8:65), who is related to have built store-cities there (2Ch_8:4). Jeroboam ii., the son of Joash, restored the kingdom to this northern limit (2Ki_14:25; 2Ki_14:28), and it was regarded as the legitimate border of the land of Israel (Num_34:8, Jos_13:5), and was employed as a geographical term (Num_13:21, cf. Jdg_3:3). The Hamathite is mentioned last of the sons of Canaan in the table of nations (Gen_10:18, 1Ch_1:16). During the time of David, Toi was king of Hamath (2Sa_8:9); the greatness of the city is referred to by the prophet Amos (Amo_6:2), and it is classed by Zechariah with Damascus, Tyre and Zidon (Zec_9:1 f.). The city was conquered by Tiglath-pileser iii. and Sargon, and part of its inhabitants were deported and the land was largely colonized by Assyrians; its capture and subjugation are referred to in the prophetic literature (Isa_10:9, Jer_49:23; cf. also 2Ki_18:34, Isa_36:19, 2Ki_19:13). Hamath is mentioned as one of the places to which Israelites were exiled (Isa_11:11), and it was also one of the places whose inhabitants were deported to colonize Israelite territory on the capture of Samaria (2Ki_17:24; 2Ki_17:30). See Ashima.
L. W. King.