Where Is Biblical Zarethan Today? 9 Modern Identifications

OpenBible.info Geocoding Topical Bible Labs Blog

Places in the Bible Today:

Zarethan

Data

Translated Names	Zaretan, Zarethan, Zartanah, Zarthan
Type	settlement
Geo Data	KML (for Google Earth) GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

9 Possible Identifications

1. Tell es Sa’idiyeh (modern): 35% confidence

   1. Tell es Sa’idiyeh

2. Tell Umm Hamad (modern): 25% confidence

   1. Tell Umm Hamad

3. Tall al Meqbarah (modern): less than 10% confidence

   1. Tall al Meqbarah

4. Sleikhat (modern): less than 10% confidence

   1. Sleikhat

5. Tell Simadi (modern): less than 10% confidence

   1. Tell Simadi

6. Tell ed Damiyeh (modern): less than 10% confidence

   1. Tell ed Damiyeh

7. Tell el Qos (modern): less than 10% confidence

   1. Tell el Qos

8. Tel Rehov (modern): less than 10% confidence

   1. Tel Rehov

9. Qarn Sartaba (modern): less than 10% confidence

   1. Qarn Sartaba

Verses (3)

Josh-Ruth (1)Josh 3:161Sam-Esth (2)1Kgs 4:12, 7:46

Linked Data Identifiers

Source	Identifier
Biblemapper.com	988
Logos Factbook	Zarethan
OpenBible.info (2007)	Zarethan
OpenBible.info	afa84ca (Zarethan)
TIPNR	[email protected]
UBS Names Database	ot ID_2565
Wikidata	Q147911

Sources

1. Aharoni, Land of the Bible (1979): page 443
2. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Zarethan (place)
3. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Zarethan
4. Baly, The Geography of the Bible (1974): page 199
5. Carta Bible Atlas, 5th Edition (2011)
6. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Zarethan
7. ESV Bible Atlas (2010)
8. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1984): 2Chr 4:17
9. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Zarethan
10. Hammond Atlas of the Bible Lands (2007): Zarethan
11. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (2011): Zarethan
12. HarperCollins Concise Atlas of the Bible (1991)
13. Hess, Joshua (1996): 3:16
14. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2003)
15. Holman Illustrated Guide to Bible Geography (2020): page 177
16. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Zarethan
17. IVP Old Testament Bible Background Commentary (2000): 2Chr 4:17; Josh 3:16; Josh 3:16; Judg 7:22; 2Chr 4:17
18. New Bible Atlas (1985): Zarethan
19. New Bible Dictionary (1996): Zarethan
20. New Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary (2009)
21. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988)
22. Oxford Bible Atlas, Fourth Edition (2007)
23. Reader’s Digest Atlas of the Bible (1981): Zarethan
24. Tübingen Bible Atlas (2001): Sarepta
25. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Zaretan, Zarethan
26. Woudstra, Joshua (1981): 13:26-27 note 27
27. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975): Zarethan
28. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010)
29. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
30. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): Josh 3:16; Judg 7:22
31. Zondervan Pictorial Bible Atlas (1972): page 96

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

Mary Harrsch, Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2019, Matson Collection, Bukvoed, Bukvoed

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.

Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.