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RAMAH.—The name of several places in Palestine, so called from their ‘loftiness,’ that being the radical meaning of the word. These are as follows:—
1. A city of Naphtali (Jos_19:36) not otherwise known, perhaps Râmeh between ‘Akka and Damascus, 8 miles W.S.W. of Safed. 2. A city of Asher (Jos_19:29) not elsewhere mentioned, and Identified not improbably with Râmia, near Tyre. 3. A city of Benjamin (Jos_18:25) between which and Bethel was the palm of Deborah (Jdg_4:5); one of the alternatives which the Levite of Bethlehem had to choose for a lodging on his fatal journey (Jdg_19:13); yielded with Geba 621 men to the post-exilic census of Ezra (Ezr_2:26); re-settled by Benjamites (Neh_11:33). Its place is indicated between Geba and Gibeah in Isaiah’s picture of the Assyrian advance (Isa_10:29). A tradition placed here the site of Rachel’s tomb: this explains the allusions in 1Sa_10:2, Jer_31:15 (quoted in Mat_2:18). Here Jeremiah was loosed from his chains (Isa_40:1). The name, and not improbably the site, of this place is preserved by a little village on a hillside north of Jerusalem known as er-Râm, which answers the geographical requirements of these incidents. Near it are some remarkable ancient monuments, known locally as ‘The Graves of the Children of Israel,’ which possibly are the ‘tomb of Rachel’ of the ancient tradition. This town was probably the home of Shimei, the Ramathite, David’s vine-dresser (1Ch_27:27). 4. A place in the district called Ramathaim-zophim (1Sa_1:1), a (corrupt) name prob.= ‘the two heights of the Zuphites.’ The latter ethnic can hardly be dissociated from the name of the great high place of Mizpah (Neby Samwîl). Its chief distinction is its connexion with Samuel. It was ‘In the hill-country of Ephraim,’ but might have been over the S. border of the tribe. Here Elkanah lived, and here was the headquarters of Samuel throughout his life (1Sa_1:19; 1Sa_2:11; 1Sa_7:17; 1Sa_8:4; 1Sa_15:34; 1Sa_16:18; 1Sa_19:18-23; 1Sa_20:1; 1Sa_25:1; 1Sa_28:8). This is probably the Ramah fortified by Baasha against the Judahite kingdom (1Ki_15:17, 2Ch_16:1), rather than the Benjamite Ramah: the latter being actually within Judahite territory would not have been accessible to him. This Ramah appears also in 1Ma_11:34 as Ramathaim. No satisfactory Identification of the Ephraimite Ramah has yet been proposed. It may be identical with No. 3. Râm-allah, a large village about 12 miles N. of Jerusalem, would fairly well suit the requirements of the history, but there are no definite Indications of antiquities there. 5. By the name Ramah allusion is made to Ramoth-gilead (wh. see) in 2Ki_8:23 and the parallel passage 2Ch_22:6. 6. Ramathlehi, the scene of Samson’s victory over the Philistines with the jawbone (Jdg_15:17), is unknown. See Lehi. Ramath here is probably a common noun, and we ought to render it ‘the height of Lehi.’ 7. Ramath-mizpeh (Jos_13:26). See Mizpah, No. 4. 8. Ramah (or Ramoth) of the South (Jos_19:8). A town in the tribe of Judah, given to Simeon; to which David sent the spoil of Ziklag (1Sa_30:27). It is quite unknown.
R. A. S. Macalister.