Places in the Bible Today:

Arimathea

Data

Translated NamesArimathaea, Arimathea
Typesettlement
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

5 Possible Identifications

  1. Rantis (modern): 25% confidence

    1. cityscape of RantisRantis

  2. another name for Ramathaim-zophim (ancient): 15% confidence. It may be:

    1. cityscape of Al RamAl Ram

    2. building at Beit RimaBeit Rima

    3. cityscape of RamallahRamallah

    4. building at Nabi SamwilNabi Samwil

    5. ruins at Ramat RahelRamat Rahel

    6. cityscape of RantisRantis

  3. Beit Rima (modern): 15% confidence

    1. building at Beit RimaBeit Rima

  4. Al Ram (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. cityscape of Al RamAl Ram

  5. Al Bira (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. cityscape of Al BiraAl Bira

Verses (4)

  1. Matt 27:57
  2. Mark 15:43
  3. Luke 23:50
  4. John 19:38

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Biblemapper.com166
Logos FactbookArimathea
OpenBible.info (2007)Arimathea
OpenBible.infoaf3d9fc (Arimathea)
TIPNRMizpah@Jdg.20.1
UBS Names Databasent ID_139
WikidataQ2558868

Sources

  1. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Arimathea (place)
  2. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Arimathea
  3. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Arimathea
  4. ESV Bible Atlas (2010)
  5. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Arimathea
  6. Hammond Atlas of the Bible Lands (2007): Arimathea
  7. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (2011): Arimathea
  8. HarperCollins Concise Atlas of the Bible (1991)
  9. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Arimath(a)ea
  10. Lexham Bible Dictionary (2016): Arimathea
  11. McKinny, Historical Geography of the Administrative Division of Judah (2014): page 334
  12. New Bible Atlas (1985): Arimathea
  13. New Bible Dictionary (1996): Arimathea
  14. New Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary (2009)
  15. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988): Arimathea
  16. Oxford Bible Atlas, Fourth Edition (2007)
  17. Reader’s Digest Atlas of the Bible (1981): Ramah
  18. Revised Expositor’s Bible Commentary (2012): Matt 27:57; Mark 15:43 note; John 19:38 note
  19. Tyndale Bible Dictionary (2001): Arimathea
  20. Tübingen Bible Atlas (2001): Arimathaia; Arimathia
  21. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Arimathea
  22. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975): Arimathaea
  23. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010)
  24. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  25. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): Matt 27:57
  26. 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, for example, 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

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