Place

Anathoth

Cityaka Anathoth

The name of one of the cities of refuge, in the tribe of Benjamin (Josh. 21:18). The Jews, as a rule, did not change the names of the towns they found in Palestine; hence this town may be regarded as deriving its name from the goddess Anat. It was the native place of Abiezer, one of David’s “thirty” (2 Sam. 23:27), and of Jehu, another of his mighty men (1 Chr. 12:3). It is chiefly notable, however, as the birth-place and usual residence of Jeremiah (Jer. 1:1; 11:21-23; 29:27; 32:7-9). It suffered greatly from the army of Sennacherib, and only 128 men returned to it from the Exile (Neh. 7:27; Ezra 2:23). It lay about 3 miles north of Jerusalem. It has been identified with the small and poor village of ‘Anata, containing about 100 inhabitants.

31.8129, 35.2635

Relationships

Appears in Jeremiah

Key verses

Jeremiah 11:21

Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, You shall not prophesy in Yahweh’s name, that you not die by our hand;

1 Kings 2:26

To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields; for you are worthy of death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you bore the ark of the Lord Yahweh before David my father, and because you were afflicted in all in which my father was afflicted.”

Jeremiah 1:1

The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:

Jeremiah 11:23

and there shall be no remnant to them: for I will bring evil on the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.

Jeremiah 32:8

So Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the guard according to Yahweh’s word, and said to me, Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the land of Benjamin; for the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption is yours; buy it for yourself. Then I knew that this was Yahweh’s word.

1 Chronicles 6:60

and out of the tribe of Benjamin, Geba with its suburbs, and Allemeth with its suburbs, and Anathoth with its suburbs. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities.