Places in the Bible Today:

Ramathaim-zophim

Data

Translated NamesRamah, Ramathaim, Ramathaim-zophim, Ramathaim Zophim
Typesettlement
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

3 Possible Identifications

  1. another name for Ramah 4 (ancient): 80% confidence. It may be:

    1. cityscape of Al RamAl Ram

    2. cityscape of RantisRantis

    3. building at Beit RimaBeit Rima

    4. cityscape of RamallahRamallah

    5. ruins at Ramat RahelRamat Rahel

    6. building at Nabi SamwilNabi Samwil

  2. another name for Arimathea (ancient): 15% confidence. It may be:

    1. cityscape of RantisRantis

    2. building at Beit RimaBeit Rima

    3. cityscape of Al RamAl Ram

    4. cityscape of Al BiraAl Bira

  3. Rantis (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. cityscape of RantisRantis

Verses (1)

1Sam 1:1

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Biblemapper.com807
Logos FactbookRamathaim-Zophim
OpenBible.info (2007)Ramathaim-zophim
OpenBible.infoa54ef72 (Ramathaim-zophim)
TIPNRMizpah@Jdg.20.1
UBS Names Databaseot ID_2696, ot ID_2707
WikidataQ1019146

Sources

  1. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Ramathaim-zophim (place)
  2. Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land (1990)
  3. Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2013): Ramathaim
  4. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Ramathaim-zophim
  5. Baly, The Geography of the Bible (1974): page 174
  6. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Ramathaim-Zophim
  7. ESV Bible Atlas (2010)
  8. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1984): 1Sam 1:1-2
  9. Gordon, I and II Samuel (1986): 1 Sam 1:1; 1Sam 1:1
  10. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Ramathaim
  11. Hammond Atlas of the Bible Lands (2007): Ramathaim-zophim
  12. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979)
  13. IVP Old Testament Bible Background Commentary (2000): 1Sam 1:1
  14. Lexham Bible Dictionary (2016): Ramathaim-zophim
  15. McKinny, Historical Geography of the Administrative Division of Judah (2014): page 334
  16. Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2014): Ramah
  17. New Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary (2009)
  18. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988): Ramathaim-zophim
  19. Oxford Bible Atlas, Fourth Edition (2007)
  20. Reader’s Digest Atlas of the Bible (1981): Ramathaim-zophim
  21. Tyndale Bible Dictionary (2001): Ramathaim-zophim
  22. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Ramathaim-zophim
  23. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975)
  24. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010)
  25. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  26. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): 1Sam 1:1
  27. Zondervan Pictorial Bible Atlas (1972): page 179

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others (in this case, another name for Ramah 4), then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

Soman, יעקב, KafrAdDeek, Soman, Bukvoed, Alexey Goral, יעקב

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.