Mizpah (village)

Looking to help your church and family stay connected to the Word while social distancing?
Check out our free church library, church online resources, and family resources.

Learn more

Mizpah (village)

Excerpt from the Lexham Bible Dictionary, the most advanced Bible dictionary.

A city of the Jews that was the hometown of Joseph, who provided a tomb for Jesus’ body (Matt 27:57; Mark 15:43; Luke 23:51; John 19:38). Eusebius and Jerome identify Arimathea as Ramathaim-Zophim (Ramah of Benjamin), the birthplace and burial place of Samuel (1 Sam 1:1, 19; 25:1).

Lexham Bible Dictionary

The most advanced Bible Dictionary

The most advanced Bible dictionary as a part of Biblia Plus, which includes everything you need to take your Bible study to the next level. For less than $1 a week, you'll get devotionals, Bible study guides, thematic studies, and much more!

Expand all Collapse all

Dictionaries

The Lexham Bible Dictionary

Arimathea

Arimathea (Αριμαθαία, Arimathaia). A city of the Jews that was the hometown of Joseph, who provided a tomb for Jesus’ body (Matt 27:57; Mark 15:43; Luke 23:51; John 19:38). Eusebius and Jerome identify Arimathea as Ramathaim-Zophim (Ramah of Benjamin), the birthplace and burial place of Samuel (1 Sam

Mizpah

Mizpah (מִצְפָּה‎, mitspah). A town in Benjamin that was a common gathering site for the Israelites. Also called Mizpeh (מִצְפֵּה‎, mitspeh).

Ramathaim-Zophim

Ramathaim-Zophim (מִצְפָּה‎, mitspah). A village in the territory of Benjamin, the hometown of Samuel’s father Elkanah (1 Sam 1:1). Usually identified with Ramah of Benjamin.The name Ramathaim-Zophim appears to mean “Ramathaim of the Zuphites”; Zuph was one of Elkanah’s ancestors and the region of Zuph

The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary

Arimathea (Place)

ARIMATHEA (PLACE) [Gk Arimathaia (Ἀριμαθαια)]. Var. ARIMATHAEA; HARMATHAIM; RAMATHEM; RAMATHA; RAMAH; RAMA; ER-RAM. Each of the Gospels mentions this town only once, and always in association with JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA—who placed Christ’s body in his own tomb (Matt 27:57; Mark 15:43; Luke 23:50; John

Mizpah (Place)

MIZPAH (PLACE) [Heb hamiṣpâ (הַמִצְפָּה)]. Var. MIZPEH. A place-name connected with several biblical sites in and around Palestine. The toponym, deriving from the root ṣph meaning “to guard,” or “to watch,” suggests the location at a site of a military outpost, observatory, or “watchtower” (see the

Ramah (Place)

RAMAH (PLACE) [Heb rāmâ (רָמָה)]. Var. RAMATHAIM-ZOPHIM. The word means “height” and was a common place name for elevated towns and villages in biblical times.1. A town in Benjamin (Josh 18:25), usually identified with modern er-Ram (M.R. 172140), situated 7 km N of Jerusalem, though some plausibly

Ramathaim-Zophim (Place)

RAMATHAIM-ZOPHIM (PLACE) [Heb rāmātayim ṣôpı̂m (רָמָתַיִם צֹופִים)]. See RAMAH.

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible

Arimathea

Arimathea. Hometown of the Joseph who obtained Jesus’ crucified body and buried it in his own tomb (Mt 27:57; Mk 15:43; Jn 19:38). The town’s location is unknown, though it may be identical to the hill town of Ramathaim-zophim, the prophet Samuel’s home (1 Sm 1:1), about 20 miles northwest of Jerusalem.

Mizpah

Mizpah. Name meaning “watch tower” in Hebrew (spelled alternately Mizpeh) used to designate a number of different locations mentioned in the OT and Apocrypha.1. Place in Gilead where Jacob and Laban made a covenant (Gn 31:49) and set up a heap of stones to mark the borders between their territories.

Mizpeh

Mizpeh. Alternate spelling for Mizpah (Jos 11:3, 8; 15:38; 18:26).See Mizpah.

Rama

Rama. kjv spelling of Ramah, a Benjamite city, in Matthew 2:18.See Ramah #1.

Ramah

Ramah. 1. One of the cities located in the territory allotted to Benjamin’s tribe for an inheritance, listed between Gibeon and Beeroth (Jos 18:25). In the proximity of this town, Rachel, Jacob’s wife was buried (Mt 2:18, kjv Rama; cf. Gn 35:16–21; Jer 31:15). Ramah, positioned near Bethel, was the place

Ramathaim-zophim

Ramathaim-zophim. Alternate name for Ramah, Samuel’s hometown, in 1 Samuel 1:1.See Ramah #5.

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised

Mizpah (village)

3. In Benjamin [Heb hammiṣpâ; Gk Massēpha, Maspha, Masphe, or (due to Heb directive suffix) Massēphath, and once translated skopiá (1 K. 15:22)]. A city in the northern part of the Benjaminite territory. It appears in the list of Benjamin’s towns (Josh. 18:26), but the order is not sufficiently

Arimath(a)ea

Arimath (a)ea ar-ə-mə-thēʹə [GK. Arimathaia]. “A city of the Jews,” the home of Joseph, in whose sepulchre the body of Jesus was laid. The place is mentioned once in each Gospel (Mt. 27:57; Mk. 15:43; Lk. 23:50; Jn. 19:38). In the Davidic account, the home of Samuel is called Ramah (1 S. 19:19) and

Mizpah

Mizpah miz̀pä; MIZPEH mizʹpə. The Hebrew word in both these forms (fem and masc, respectively) means “lookout” or “watch tower” and is a place name or place-name element. It is appropriate for towns occupying high, commanding positions.

Ramah

Ramah räʹmə [Heb. rāmâ-‘height’; Gk. Rhama, Kiramas (1 Esd. 5:20)]; AV also RAMA, CIRAMA (1 Esd. 5:20); NEB also RAMA, KIRAMA (1 Esd. 5:20).

Tyndale Bible Dictionary

Arimathea

ARIMATHEA Hometown of the Joseph who obtained Jesus’ crucified body and buried it in his own tomb (Mt 27:57; Mk 15:43; Jn 19:38). The town’s location is unknown, though it may be identical to the hill town of Ramathaim-zophim, the prophet Samuel’s home (1 Sm 1:1), about 8 miles (12.9 kilometers) northwest

Mizpah

MIZPAH Name meaning “watchtower” in Hebrew (alternately spelled Mizpeh) used to designate a number of different locations mentioned in the OT and Apocrypha.1. Place in Gilead where Jacob and Laban made a covenant (Gn 31:49) and set up a heap of stones to mark the borders between their territories.2.

Mizpeh

MIZPEH Alternate spelling for Mizpah (Jos 11:3, 8; 15:38; 18:26). See Mizpah.

Rama

RAMA* kjv spelling of Ramah, a Benjaminite city, in Matthew 2:18. See Ramah #1.

Ramah

RAMAH1. One of the cities located in the territory allotted to Benjamin’s tribe for an inheritance, listed between Gibeon and Beeroth (Jos 18:25). In the proximity of this town, Rachel, Jacob’s wife, was buried (Mt 2:18; cf. Gn 35:16–21; Jer 31:15). Ramah, positioned near Bethel, was the place where

Ramathaim-Zophim

RAMATHAIM-ZOPHIM* Alternate name for Ramah, Samuel’s hometown, in 1 Samuel 1:1. See Ramah #5.

The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (Revised and Updated)

Arimathea

Arimathea (air´uh-muh-thee´uh), a hellenized form of the Hebrew name Ramathaim, Ramoth, or Ramah; home of Joseph, who buried Jesus in his own tomb (Matt. 27:57–60; Mark 15:42–46; Luke 23:50–53; John 19:38–42). Arimathea is variously identified with modern Rentis (fifteen miles east of Jaffa), er-Ram

Mizpah, Mizpeh

Mizpah, Mizpeh (miz´puh; Heb., “watchtower,”). In addition to being the name of a territory and four cities, the Hebrew word mizpah occurs frequently with the definite article to mean “the watchtower.” Mizpeh is a variant spelling of Mizpah, occurring four times in the nrsv (Josh. 11:3, 8; 15:38; 18:26).

Ramah

Ramah (ray´muh; Heb., “height”).1 Ramah of Benjamin, which is identified with modern er-Ram, about five miles north of Jerusalem and west of Geba and Michmash on the border of Israel and Judah. It is unexcavated, but surface exploration indicates occupation beginning about the twelfth century bce. The

The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia

Arimathaea

ARIMATHAEA. A town mentioned only in the Gospel as the home of Joseph who requested the body of Jesus from Pilate and buried it in his own new tomb (Mt 27:57; Mk 15:43; Lk 23:51; Jn 19:38). Luke’s reference, which states it was a city of the Jews, would identify it with the territory of Haramantha (Rathamin)

Mizpah, Mizpeh

MIZPAH, MIZPEH. Heb. miṣpā or miṣpeh means a watchtower or lofty place from which one can see far and wide whether men have built a tower there or not (Isa 21:8; 2 Chr 20:24). It is always used with the definite article except as Hos 5:1.1. A heap of stones which Jacob set up in Gilead as a marker

Ramah

RAMAH. Ramah means “height” and was frequently used as a place name.1. A town in the tribal area of Benjamin (Josh 18:25) in the vicinity of Bethel (Jdg 4:5), Gibeah (Jdg 19:13), and Beth-aven (Hos 5:8). Robinson’s identification of Ramah with er-Ram, five and a half miles N of Jerusalem, still stands.

The New Bible Dictionary, Third Edition

Arimathea

ARIMATHEA. ‘A city of the Jews’, and home of *Joseph, in whose sepulchre the body of Jesus was laid (Mt. 27:57; Mk. 15:43; Lk. 23:51; Jn. 19:38). Identified by Eusebius and Jerome with *Ramah or Ramathaim-zophim, the birth-place of Samuel (1 Sa. 1:19). It is probably identical with the Samaritan toparchy

Mizpah, Mizpeh

MIZPAH, MIZPEH. The basic meaning of the word is ‘watchtower’, ‘place for watching’. It is vocalized as miṣpâ and miṣpeh, and is found usually with the article. It is natural to look for places so named on high vantage-points. The following may be distinguished:1. The place where *Jacob and Laban

Ramah

RAMAH. The Heb. name rāmâ, from the root rûm, ‘to be high’, was used of several places, all of them on elevated sites.1. Ramah of Benjamin, near Bethel, in the area of Gibeon and Beeroth (Jos. 18:25), was a resting-place on the road N. Here the Levite and his concubine planned to stay (Jdg. 19:13).

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible

Arimathea

Arimathea (Gk. Arimathaɩ́a)A place mentioned by each of the Gospels as the hometown of a rich man named Joseph. Granted permission to take the body of Jesus from the cross, he prepared it for burial and placed it in his own tomb (Matt. 27:57; Mark 15:43; Luke 23:50; John 19:38). Referred to as a “Jewish

Mizpah, Mizpeh

Mizpah (Heb. miṣpâ), MIZPEH (miṣpeh)1. Mizpah of Gilead. The name given by Jacob as a sign of his covenant with Laban (Gen. 31:49). The so-called Mizpah benediction invokes Yahweh to monitor the parties’ compliance with the covenant stipulations. Later, Israel’s forces assembled here in preparation

Ramah

Ramah (Heb. rāmâ)Common designation for elevated towns and villages in ancient Israel (Heb. “the height”).1. A town allotted to Benjamin (Josh. 18:25), located on the border of Ephraim. It is usually identified with modern er-Râm (172140), 8 km. (5 mi.) N of Jerusalem. Deborah the prophetess would

Ramathaim-Zophim

Ramathaim-Zophim (Heb. rāmāṯayim ṣôp̱ɩ̂m)The home of Elkanah, Samuel’s father (1 Sam. 1:1 MT; NRSV “Ramathaim”).See Ramah 5.

Eerdmans Bible Dictionary

Arimathea

Arimathea [ărˊə mə thēˊə] (Gk. Arimathaia).† The home of Joseph, a Jewish official in whose tomb the body of Jesus was placed (Matt. 27:57 par. Mark 15:43; Luke 23:50; John 19:38). The town may be the same as Ramathaim-zophim, the home of Samuel (1 Sam. 1:1; 19:19, “Ramah”). It may also be the

Mizpah, Mizpeh

MIZPAH [mĭzˊpä] (Heb. fem. miṣpâ “lookout, watchtower”), MIZPEH [mĭzˊpə ] (masc. miṣpeh).

The Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land

Mizpah

MIZPAH A town in Gilead where Jacob and Laban made a covenant (Gen. 31:48–9). It was the home of Jephthah (Judg. 11:11; Authorized Version: ‘Mizpeh’). Judas Maccabaeus conquered the town and set it on fire (1 Macc. 5:35; Authorized Version: ‘Maspha’). According to Eusebius it was situated 15 miles from

Mizpeh

MIZPEH A town on the main road from Jerusalem to Shechem, on the northern border of Benjamin. In the early Iron Age it was in the territory of Benjamin (Josh. 18:26). The Israelites gathered here to fight against the Philistines, and it was one of the cities in which Samuel judged the people (1 Sam.

Ramah; Ramataim-Zophim, Arimathea

RAMAH; RAMATAIM-ZOPHIM, ARIMATHEA A town in the territory of Benjamin (Josh. 18:25; Authorized Version: ‘Gaba’), not far from Geba and Gibeah of Saul (1 Sam. 22:6). It was fortified by Baasha, King of Israel (1 Kgs. 15:17), ‘so that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa King of Judah’.

Catholic Bible Dictionary

Mizpah

MIZPAH, MIZPEH (Hebrew, “watchtower”) The name of several locations in Scripture, so named because they were positioned to provide a place of observation or a vantage point.1. The location where Jacob sealed a covenant with Laban and set up a heap of stones as a perpetual witness to it (Gen 31:44–46).

Ramah

RAMAH The name of a number of places in the Bible.1. A town in the territory of Benjamin halfway between Jerusalem and Bethel (Josh 18:25). In Judg 4:5, the prophetess Deborah sat beneath a palm tree near Ramah. Later, a Levite traveling from Bethlehem considered spending the night at Ramah with his

Email
Password
Forgot your password?