In continuing our discussion of the use of construct plural in Biblical
place names, this post focuses on the two Ramahs in the Transjordan. A major
initial issue here is the difficult question of deciding whether either or
both of their names are in the form of feminine construct plural.
There are only two Ramahs in the Transjordan in the Bible, each of which is
in the form of Ramoth, as follows:
(1) R)MT B-GL(D at Joshua 20: 8, spelled R)MWT B-GL(D at I Chronicles 6:
65/80, is located in northeast Gilead. The plene spelling, R)MWT, indicates
that this is feminine construct plural. R)MT [or R)MWT] B-GL(D is often
explained as meaning “Heights [plural] of Gilead”.
(2) RMT H-MCPH, at Joshua 13: 26, is located in central Gilead. This
appears to be feminine construct singular, n-o-t construct plural. It is
often explained as meaning “High Place [singular] of the Watch Tower”.
RMH is used as a common word only in Ezekiel, where it means “a high place”
. Ezekiel 16: 24. As a proper name, being a city name, RMH means “hill”
or “a lofty place”. Outside of Ezekiel, RMH is only used in the Bible as a
proper name, being a city name, and hence RMH is viewed here as being a
proper name of a city [not a common word].
[The plural of R)MH is R)MWT, meaning “heights”, though often used as a
proper name. In defective spelling, R)MWT could potentially be R)MT or RMT.]
To see why it would make sense for R)MWT B-GL(D to use feminine plural
construct form, we need to know a little bit about this place:
“Ramoth-Gilead…featured frequently in Israel’s wars with Aram. …[T]he
suggestion…that it is Tell-Ramith, near the modern border with Syria, has
strong claims in view of the site’s…commanding location.” J.A. Thompson, at p.
261 of “Baker Encyclopedia of Bible Places” (1995).
Note the key feature of R)MWT B-GL(D: location, location, location. R)MWT
B-GL(D apparently functioned as the unofficial border between Greater Canaan
and Syria, and was a flashpoint in wars between the two contending parties.
The meaning of R)MWT B-GL(D is: “[concerning all the various] Ramahs [in
Greater Canaan, including the two] Ramahs [in the Transjordan, the o-n-e
Ramah that marked the boundary] of Gilead”. When a proper name [like Ramah]
appears in construct plural form in a Biblical geographical place name, then
(i) the plural aspect of the construct plural form references the fact that
there are two or more places with a similar name in the area, but (ii) only
one of those places is being referenced in the particular case, with the
word or name not in construct form specifying which exact place is intended.
We are also beginning to see that construct plural is often used in
Biblical geographical place names when the focus is on location, location,
location. )DMY H-NQB likely was a mere village [and Prof. Levin even
questioned
whether it was a village, much less a town or an important city, perhaps
literally being a wide spot in a very narrow roadway]. Yet )DMY H-NQB was
nevertheless of some considerable importance [even rating mention on the T III
list!] because of its precise geographical location, at a “pipe”/socket/narrow
passageway/NQB in eastern Lower Galilee. R)MWT B-GL(D would normally seem
far afield from Jerusalem-based scribes, yet it was nevertheless important
because its geographical location seems to have been the unofficial boundary
between Greater Canaan and Syria, with fighting between the two contending
parties often occurring there in that border zone.
When a proper name [such as Ramah] occurs in construct plural form in a
Biblical geographical place name, note the following. (i) There are at least
two Ramahs in the neighborhood [with “neighborhood” in this particular case
having the expansive meaning of the northern half of the Transjordan],
hence the plural aspect of the construct plural form. (ii) But despite the
plural aspect of the construct plural form, only o-n-e town is being
referenced, with the word/name not in construct form clarifying which
particular
o-n-e Ramah is being referenced here. (iii) The reason for singling out this
one town or village, using the plural construct form, is often location,
location, location. Although the town or village might otherwise be
relatively unimportant, that town or village nevertheless had some considerable
importance to the Hebrews because of its precise geographical location.
On a more general level, when one sees what may be a proper name in
construct plural form in a Biblical geographical place name, think: location,
location, location. Ask w-h-y the precise geographical location of this
place, which might otherwise seem to be of little significance, is so very
important to the Biblical author. If you’re not sure whether it’s a common
word
in construct plural, or a proper name in construct plural, then at least
consider what the significance would be if it were viewed as being a proper
name in construct plural. That is to say, even if conventional wisdom says
that it’s a mere common word in construct plural, and is exclusively and
innocuously referring solely to local topography, please think outside the box
and
consider the alternative: that it may be a proper name in construct
plural. If that is the case, then you know precisely what to focus on in
evaluating such Biblical geographical place name: location, location,
location.
Each of )DMY H-NQB and R)MWT B-GL(D (a) uses a construct plural form of a
proper name, and (b) is important almost exclusively because of its particular
geographical location.
Jim Stinehart
Evanston, Illinois
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