Ramah in Benjamin

For other cities of this name in ancient Israel, see Ramah (ancient Israel).

Ramah in Benjamin was a city of ancient Israel. It was located near Gibeon and Mizpah to the West, Gibeah to the South, and Geba to the East. Some identify it with modern Er-Ram, about 8 km north of Jerusalem.

The city is first mentioned in Joshua 18:25, near Gibeah of Benjamin. A Levite came traveling to Gibeah, with Ramah just ahead. (Jg 19:11-15) It was fortified by Baasha, king of the northern kingdom (1 Kings 15:17-22; 2 Chr. 16:1-6). Asa, king of the southern kingdom, employed Ben Hadad the Syrian king to attack Baasha at home and draw his forces away from this city (1 Kings 15:18, 20). When Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians, those taken captive were assembled in Ramah before being moved to Babylon (Jeremiah 40:1). Jeremiah said: A voice was heard at Ramah, Rachel was weeping over her sons, because they were no more. (Jer. 31:15). Rachel had so desired children that she considered herself dead without them. (Gen. 30:1) Jeremiah said that she was figuratively weeping because of the loss of the people killed or taken in captivity. And since she was the mother of Benjamin, it would fit because those in Ramah were Benjamites.

Ramah is the town that was home to Samuel's mother Hannah and his father Elkanah, from which they journeyed to the sanctuary at Shiloh, where Hannah prayed to God to end her barrenness and give her a child. ( 1 Sam 1-2).

Ramah is mentioned in 1 Samuel 8:4 in reference to a meeting place during Samuel's rule.

In the New Testament, Ramah is mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew (2:18) with reference to Jeremiah prophecy about Rachel, that is said to be fulfilled with the gruesome slaughter of boy children when the Herod was king:

A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.

External links

• The Bible Dictionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: "Ramah"