Jarmuth

jar'-muth (yarmuth:

(1) A city of the Canaanites in the Shephelah (Josh 15:35) of Judah whose "king," Piram, joined the league of the "five kings" against Joshua (Josh 10:3-5), was defeated at Gibeon and slain at Makkedah (10:23). One of the 31 "kings" defeated in Joshua' s campaign (Josh 12:11). In Josh 15:35 it is mentioned in conjunction with Adullam, Socoh and Azekah, and in Neh 11:29 with Zorah, Zanoah and Adullam. Cheyne (Encyclopedia Biblica) suggests that the "Maroth" of Mic 1:12 may be a copyist's error for Jarmuth. In Eusebius, Onomasticon (OS2 132 31; 266 38) mention is made of a Iermochos, or Jermucha, 10 Roman miles Northeast of Eleutheropolis (Beit Jibrin), The site of this once important place is Khirbet el Yarmuk, a ruin, with many old walls and cisterns, on the top of a hill 1,465 ft. above sealevel. It is nearly 2 miles Northwest of Belt Nattif, from which it is visible, and 8 1/2 miles, as measured on map, N.N.E. of Belt Jibrin. Compare PEF, III, 128, Sh XVIII.

(2) A city of Issachar belonging to the "children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites" (Josh 21:29); in the duplicate list in 1 Chr 6:73 we have Ramoth, while in the Septuagint version of Josh 21:29 we have, in different VSS, Rhemmath or Iermoth. In Josh 19:21 "Remeth" occurs (in Hebrew) in the lists of cities of Issachar; in the Septuagint Rhemmas or Rhamath. The name was probably "Remeth" or "Ramoth," but the place has never been identified with any certainty.

See RAMOTH.

E. W. G. Masterman