The Definition of the word Hamath

Hamath

Fortress, the capital of one of the kingdoms of Upper Syria of "the same name, on the Orontes, in the valley of Lebanon, at the" "northern boundary of Palestine (Num. 13:21; 34:8), at the foot" of Hermon (Josh. 13:5) towards Damascus (Zech. 9:2; Jer. 49:23). "It is called "Hamath the great" in Amos 6:2, and "Hamath-zobah" in 2 Chr. 8:3. "Hamath, now Hamah, had an Aramaean population, but Hittite monuments discovered there show that it must have been at one time occupied by the Hittites. It was among the conquests of the "Pharaoh Thothmes III. Its king, Tou or Toi, made alliance with" "David (2 Sam. 8:10), and in B.C. 740 Azariah formed a league" "with it against Assyria. It was, however, conquered by the" "Assyrians, and its nineteen districts placed under Assyrian" "governors. In B.C. 720 it revolted under a certain Yahu-bihdi," "whose name, compounded with that of the God of Israel (Yahu)," perhaps shows that he was of Jewish origin. But the revolt was "suppressed, and the people of Hamath were transported to Samaria" "(2 Kings 17:24, 30), where they continued to worship their god" "Ashima. Hamah is beautifully situated on the Orontes, 32 miles" "north of Emesa, and 36 south of the ruins of Assamea." "The kingdom of Hamath comprehended the great plain lying on both banks of the Orontes from the fountain near Riblah to Assamea on "the north, and from Lebanon on the west to the desert on the" "east. The "entrance of Hamath" (Num. 34:8), which was the north" "boundary of Palestine, led from the west between the north end" of Lebanon and the Nusairiyeh mountains.