Rabbah

great; powerful; contentious

Rabbah

(great).

1. A very strong place on the east of the Jordan, and the chief city of the Ammonites. In five passages -- (3:11; 2 Samuel 12:26; 17:27; Jeremiah 49:2; Ezekiel 21:20) --it is styled at length Rabbath of the Ammonites, or the children of Ammon; but elsewhere, (Joshua 13:25; 2 Samuel 11:1; 12:27,29; 1 Chronicles 20:1; Jeremiah 49:3) simply Rabbah. When first named it is mentioned as containing the bed or sarcophagus of the giant Og. (3:11) David sent Joab to besiege Rabbah. (2 Samuel 11:1,17) etc. Joab succeeded in capturing a portion of the place --the "city of waters," that is, the lower town so called from its containing the perennial stream which rises in and still flows through it. The citadel still remained to be taken, but this was secured shortly after David's arrival. (2 Samuel 12:26-31) Long after, at the date of the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar, (Jeremiah 49:2,3) it had walls and palaces. It is named in such terms as to imply that it was of equal importance with Jerusalem. (Ezekiel 21:20) From Ptolemy Philadelphus (B.C. 285-247) it received the name of Philadelphia. It was one of the cities of the Decapolis, and became the seat of a Christian bishop. Its ruins, which are considerable are found at Ammon about 22 miles from the Jordan. It lies in a valley which is a branch, or perhaps the main course, of the Wady Zerka usually identified with the Jabbok. The public buildings are said to be Roman, except the citadel, which is described as of large square stones put together without cement, and which is probably more ancient than the rest.
2. A city of Judah named with Kirjath-jearim in (Joshua 15:60) only. No trace of its existence has yet been discovered.

Or Rab'bath, great.

(1.) "Rabbath of the children of Ammon," the chief city of the Ammonites, among the eastern hills, some 20 miles east of the Jordan, on the southern of the two streams which united with the Jabbok. Here the bedstead of Og was preserved (Deuteronomy 3:11), perhaps as a trophy of some victory gained by the Ammonites over the king of Bashan. After David had subdued all their allies in a great war, he sent Joab with a strong force to take their city. For two years it held out against its assailants. It was while his army was engaged in this protracted siege that David was guilty of that deed of shame which left a blot on his character and cast a gloom over the rest of his life. At length, having taken the "royal city" (or the "city of waters, " 2 Samuel 12:27, i.e., the lower city on the river, as distinguished from the citadel), Joab sent for David to direct the final assault (11:1; 12:26-31). The city was given up to plunder, and the people were Ruthlessly put to death, and "thus did he with all the cities of the children of Ammon." The destruction of Rabbath was the last of David's conquests. His kingdom now reached its farthest limits (2 Samuel 8:1-15; 1 Chronicles 18:1-15). The capture of this city is referred to by Amos (1:14), Jeremiah (49:2, 3), and Ezekiel (21:20; 25:5).

(2.) A city in the hill country of Judah (Joshua 15:60), possibly the ruin Rubba, six miles north-east of Beit-Jibrin.

RABBAH

rab'-a:

(1) (rabbah; Rhabba, Rhabbath, Rhabban. The full name is rabbath bene `ammon; he akra ton huion Ammon, Rhabbath huion Ammon, "Rabbah of the children of Ammon"): This alone of the cities of the Ammonites is mentioned in Scripture, so we may take it as the most important. It is first named in connection with the "bed" or sarcophagus of Og, king of Bashan, which was said to be found here (Deuteronomy 3:11). It lay East of the territory assigned to Gad (Joshua 13:25). Whatever may have been its history in the interval, it does not appear again in Scripture till the time of David. This monarch sent an embassy of sympathy to King Hanun when his father Nahash died. The kindness was met by wanton insult, which led to the outbreak of war. The Ammonites, strengthened by Aramean allies, were defeated by the Israelites under Joab, and took refuge in Rabbah. After David's defeat of the Arameans at Helam a year later, the Ammonites were exposed alone to the full-force of Israel, the ark of the covenant being carried with the troops. The country was ravaged and siege was laid to Rabbah. It was during this siege that Uriah the Hittite by David's orders was exposed "in the forefront of the hottest battle" (2 Samuel 11:15), where, treacherously deserted by his comrades, he was slain. How long the siege lasted we do not know; probably some years; but the end was in sight when Joab captured "the city of waters" (2 Samuel 12:27). This may mean that he had secured control of the water supply. In the preceding verse he calls it the "royal city." By the chivalry of his general, David was enabled in person to enjoy the honor of taking the city. Among the booty secured was the crown of Melcom, the god of the Ammonites. Such of the inhabitants as survived he treated with great severity (2 Samuel 12:26-31 1 Chronicles 20:1).

In the utterances of the prophets against Ammon, Rabbah stands for the people, as their most important, or perhaps their only important, city (Jeremiah 49:2, 3 Ezekiel 21:20; Ezekiel 25:5 Amos 1:14). Jeremiah 49:4 speaks of the "flowing valley"-a reference perhaps to the abundance of water and fruitfulness-and the treasures in which she gloried. Ezekiel 21:21 represents the king of Babylon at "the head of the two ways" deciding by means of the divining arrows whether he should march against Jerusalem or against Rabbah. Amos seems to have been impressed with the palaces of Rabbah.

The city retained its importance in later times. It was captured by Ptolemy Philadelphus (285-247 B.C.), who called it Philadelphia. It was a member of the league of ten cities. Antiochus the Great captured it by means of treachery (Polyb. v.71). Josephus (BJ, III, iii, 3) names it as lying East of Peraea. In the 4th century A.D., it ranked with Bostra and Gerasa as one of the great fortified cities of Coele-Syria (Ritter, Erdkunde, XV, ii, 1154). It became the seat of a bishop. Abulfeda (1321 A.D.) says that Rabbah was in ruins at the time of the Moslem conquest.

Rabbah is represented by the modern `Amman, a ruined site with extensive remains, chiefly from Roman times, some 14 miles Northeast of Heshbon, and about 22 miles East of the Jordan. It lies on the northern bank of Wady `Amman, a tributary of the upper Jabbok, in a well-watered and fruitful valley. Possibly the stream which rises here may be "the waters" referred to in 2 Samuel 12:27. Ancient Rabbah may have stood on the hill now occupied by the citadel, a position easy of defense because of its precipitous sides. The outer walls of the citadel appear to be very old; but it is quite impossible to say that anything Ammonite is now above ground. The citadel is connected by means of an underground passage with a large cistern or tank to the North, whence probably it drew its watersupply. This may be the passage mentioned in the account of the capture of the city by Antiochus. "It is," says Conder (Heth and Moab, 158), "one of the finest Roman towns in Syria, with baths, a theater, and an odeum, as well as several large private masonry tombs built in the valley probably in the 2nd century. The fortress on the hill, now surrounding a considerable temple, is also probably of this same date. The church with two chapels farther North, and perhaps some of the tombs, must belong to a later age, perhaps the 4th century. The fine mosque and the fine Moslem building on the citadel hill cannot be earlier than the 7th, and are perhaps as late as the 11th century; and we have thus relics of every building epoch except the Crusading, of which there appears to be no indication."

The place is now occupied by Arabs and Circassians who profit by the riches of the soil. It is brought into contact with the outside world by means of the Damascus-Hejaz Railway, which has a station here.

(2) (ha-rabbah; Codex Vaticanus Sotheba; Codex Alexandrinus Arebba): A city of Judah named along with Kiriath-jearim (Joshua 15:60).

W. Ewing

2579. Chamath Rabbah -- Chamath-Rabbah
Chamath Rabbah. 2578, 2579. Chamath Rabbah. 2580 . Chamath-Rabbah.
Transliteration: Chamath Rabbah Phonetic Spelling: (kham-ath ...
/hebrew/2579.htm - 6k

7237. Rabbah -- two places in Isr.
... 7236, 7237. Rabbah. 7238 . two places in Isr. Transliteration: Rabbah
Phonetic Spelling: (rab-baw') Short Definition: Rabbah. ...
/hebrew/7237.htm - 6k

1337. Bath-rabbim -- "daughter of multitudes," a name for Heshbon ...
... Bath-rabbim. From bath and a masculine plural from rab; the daughter (ie City) of
Rabbah -- Bath-rabbim. see HEBREW bath. see HEBREW rab. 1336, 1337. ...
/hebrew/1337.htm - 6k

Chronology.
... Oxf, 1888, xviii. to xxiv.). He also identifies the Breshith Rabbah quoted
with the Midrash Rabbah de Rabbah. The real Breshith ...
/.../daubney/the three additions to daniel a study/chronology 3.htm

The Nations of the South-East
... Campaign followed upon campaign; the City of Waters, Rabbah, the "capital" of Ammon,
was closely invested, and the Aramaic allies of Hanun were put to flight. ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iii the nations of.htm

Integrity and State of the Text.
... And in the Syro-Chaldee version, given in Midrash Rabbah de Rabbah, Bel has
a subscription, and the Dragon a fresh title (see Ball, 345a). ...
/.../daubney/the three additions to daniel a study/integrity and state of the 3.htm

How the War was Waged against the Ammonites and Happily Concluded.
... met with, he immediately sent Joab, the captain of his host, against them, and gave
him the flower of his army, who pitched his camp by Rabbah, the metropolis ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 6 how the war.htm

The Image of Self.
... He goes to war in his armour, and takes the city of Rabbah. He carries off the crown
of the king and puts it on his own head. The spoil of the city is great. ...
/.../the village pulpit volume ii trinity to advent/lx the image of self.htm

Authorship.
... So in Breshith Rabbah [64] on Genesis 37:24 we have nearly the words of v.28 sq.,
introduced by "This is as it is written in Daniel" (Ball, 344a). ...
/.../daubney/the three additions to daniel a study/authorship 2.htm

Ezekiel's Discourse
... city. Thou shall appoint a way, for the sword to come to Rabbah of the
children of Ammon, and to Judah in Jerusalem the defenced. ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/vi ezekiels discourse.htm

Chammath. Ammaus. The Warm Baths of Tiberias.
... joining by a bridge. "Rabbah said, Chammath is the same with the warm baths
of Gadara, and Rakkath is Tiberias.". "It was lawful ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 74 chammath ammaus the.htm

Ascalon. Gerar. The Story of the Eighty Witches.
... How far? To the river of Egypt. But behold, Gaza is pleasant to dwell in," &c. In
the author of Aruch it is, Gardiki. "Bereshith Rabbah (saith he) renders ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 14 ascalon gerar the.htm

Traditionalism, Its Origin, Character, and Literature - the ...
... 86 a, we read of a discussion in the heavenly Academy on the subject of purity,
when Rabbah was summoned to heaven by death, although this required a miracle ...
/.../chapter viii traditionalism its origin.htm

Rabbah (14 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. RABBAH. rab'-a: (1) (rabbah; Rhabba, Rhabbath,
Rhabban. The full name is rabbath bene `ammon; he ...
/r/rabbah.htm - 19k

Ravaged (11 Occurrences)
... time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him,
and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah...
/r/ravaged.htm - 9k

Besieged (34 Occurrences)
... time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him,
and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah...
/b/besieged.htm - 16k

Aroer (17 Occurrences)
... Dead Sea. (2.) One of the towns built by the tribe of Gad (Numbers 32:34)
"before Rabbah" (Joshua 13:25), the Ammonite capital. It ...
/a/aroer.htm - 14k

Ammonite (22 Occurrences)
... David also defeated them and their allies the Syrians (2 Samuel 10:6-14), and took
their chief city, Rabbah, with much spoil (2 Samuel 10:14; 12:26-31). ...
/a/ammonite.htm - 18k

Expired (29 Occurrences)
... when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him,
and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. ...
/e/expired.htm - 15k

Shutting (43 Occurrences)
... Joab and his servants and all Israel with him; and they made waste the land of the
children of Ammon, and took up their position before Rabbah, shutting it in. ...
/s/shutting.htm - 19k

Bene-ammon (44 Occurrences)
... 25 and the border is to them Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and the half of
the land of the Bene-Ammon, unto Aroer which 'is' on the front of Rabbah, (YLT ...
/b/bene-ammon.htm - 20k

Royal (154 Occurrences)
... 1); (4) melukhah, "kingdom," "kingly power and dignity": "royal city," literally,
the city of the kingdom, meaning here that part of the city (Rabbah) in which ...
/r/royal.htm - 42k

Jo'ab (120 Occurrences)
... time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him,
and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah...
/j/jo'ab.htm - 34k

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