Hamath, Hemath

Narrator: Chris Genthree
 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 10
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District and a noted city in the north of Syria. We read of the HAMATHITE as early as Genesis 10:1818And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. (Genesis 10:18). The district lay north of the Lebanon and the Anti-Lebanon, but perhaps extended southward, as the northern border of Israel is spoken of as “the entering in of Hamath” (1 Kings 8:6565And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days. (1 Kings 8:65)). Toi, king of Hamath, sent to congratulate David on his victory over Hadadezer. It was more than a hundred miles farther north than Dan, but it became tributary to Solomon and he built store cities there (2 Chron. 8:44And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities, which he built in Hamath. (2 Chronicles 8:4)). On the death of Solomon it appears to have gained its independence, for it was recovered by Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:2828Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? (2 Kings 14:28)). It afterward fell into the hands of the Assyrians (Jer. 52:9,279Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; where he gave judgment upon him. (Jeremiah 52:9)
27And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land. (Jeremiah 52:27)).
Antiochus Epiphanes changed its name to Epiphaneia, which name appears on some maps. It is now called Hamah. The river Orontes runs through the city. It is so far removed from the path of ordinary travelers (35° 12' N, 36° 38' E) that it retains its ancient customs and pride, along with its poverty and fanaticism. The district is mentioned in the future division of the land (Ezek. 47:16-17,2016Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazar-hatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran. 17And the border from the sea shall be Hazar-enan, the border of Damascus, and the north northward, and the border of Hamath. And this is the north side. (Ezekiel 47:16‑17)
20The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side. (Ezekiel 47:20); Ezek. 48:11Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazar-enan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; a portion for Dan. (Ezekiel 48:1); Amos 6:1414But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the Lord the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness. (Amos 6:14); Zech. 9:22And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise. (Zechariah 9:2)). In Amos 6:22Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border? (Amos 6:2) it is called HAMATH THE GREAT.