Sacred Scripture
Sacra Scrittura · 260 articles · Principal contributors · All subjectsBiblical Geography (Geografia Biblica)
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Phogor (Heb. Pē'ōr) (PHOGOR (EBR. PĒ'ŌR))
PHOGOR (Heb. Pē'ōr). - A mountain in Moab (Num. 23:28) north of Phasga (v.), which seems to be identifiable with the present-day range of… -
Pithom (PHITHOM)
PITHOM. - A city of northern Egypt (Hebr. Pitōm; Egyptian pr-jtm; Coptic πεθομί or πειθομί; Septuagint Πειθώ). According to Ex. 1:11, an… -
Probatica
PROBATICA. - The "sheep" gate (προβατική), in Jerusalem. An ancient tradition, both Eastern and Western, has identified, on the basis of… -
Ptolemais (TOLEMAIDE)
PTOLEMAIS. - A maritime city of northern Palestine, 16 km. northwest of Haifa, situated on a rocky promontory that bounds its bay to the… -
Quarantine, Mount of the (QUARANTENA, MONTE DELLA)
QUARANTINE, Mount of the. - Mount (Arabic Gebel Qurantal) to the west of Jericho, to which is linked the memory of the fast and the… -
Rabbath (Rabbath) of Ammon (RABBA (RABBATH) DI AMMON)
RABBATH (Rabbath) of Ammon. - Ancient city (Deut. 3:11) east of the Jordan, today 'Ammān, capital of Jordan and formerly of the Ammonites… -
Rages
RAGES. - In the book of Tobit (4:21; 5:14; 9:3) there is mention of R., a city of the Medes, where Gabael (v.) resided. The Greek text has… -
Ramah (Heb. Hā-Rāmāh = "The Height") (RAMA (EBR. HĀ-RĀMĀH « L'ALTURA »))
RAMAH (Heb. Hā-Rāmāh = "The Height"). - Name of several biblical localities situated on hills. 1. R. in the tribe of Benjamin (Josh. 18:25)… -
Ramleh
RAMLEH. - City in Palestine, southeast of Jaffa. According to Arab writers, the founding of the city is attributed to the Umayyad caliph… -
Ramoth-Gilead (RAMOTH IN GALAAD)
RAMOTH-GILEAD. - A Levitical and city of refuge in the tribe of Gad (Deut. 4:13; Josh. 20:8; 21:38; 1 Chron. 6:66), capital of the… -
Raphaim, Valley of (RAPHAIM, VALLE DI)
RAPHAIM, Valley of. - Fertile (Is. 17:5) plain southwest of Jerusalem, called today Baqā (in Hebrew 'ēmeq rêphâ'im). According to Josh.… -
Raphidim
RAPHIDIM. - An encampment of the Israelites on their itinerary from the Red Sea to Sinai, situated between the steppe of Sin and Sinai (Ex.… -
Red Sea (Gr. Ἡ Ἔρυθρά Θάλασσα; Heb. Jām Sūph) (ROSSO, MARE (GR. Ἡ ἜΡΥΘΡΑ ΘΆΛΑΣΣΑ; EBR. JĀM SŪPH))
RED SEA (Gr. Ἡ Ἔρυθρά Θάλασσα; Heb. Jām Sūph). - A large stretch of sea extending from the entrance of Bāb el-Mandeb, between southwestern… -
Rogel (Hebrew 'En-Righèl "Fountain of the Fuller" or "of the Wayfarer") (ROGEL (EBR. 'EN-RIGHÈL « FONTE DEL GUALCHERAIO » O « DEL PASSANTE » ?))
ROGEL (Hebrew 'En-Righèl "Fountain of the Fuller" or "of the Wayfarer"). - Name of a spring marking the boundary, south of the ancient city… -
Saba
SABA. - Name of a state in ancient Yemen. Mentions of S. are found in certain passages of the Old Testament: besides some genealogical… -
Salem (Heb. Šālēm, Septuagint Σαλήμ) (SALEM (EBR. ŠÁLÊM, SETTANTA ΣΑΛΗ͂Μ))
SALEM (Heb. Šālēm, Septuagint Σαλήμ). - A Canaanite city, whose king was Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18; Heb. 7:1-2) and which corresponds to… -
Samaria (Heb. Šōmērōn) Ass (SAMARIA (EBR. ŠŌMĒRŌN) ASS)
SAMARIA (Heb. Šōmērōn) Ass. - City founded in 880 B.C. by Omri (v. AMRI), sixth king of Israel, at the center of his kingdom, on the top of… -
Samaria (Hē Samareitis) (SAMARIA (Ἡ ΣΑΜΑΡΕΙ͂ΤΙΣ))
SAMARIA (Hē Samareitis). - One of the three historical regions of Palestine, in the center of the plateau, having the Jordan as its… -
Segor (Heb. Ṣā'ar; Gr. Σηγώρ) (SEGOR (EBR. ṢĀ'AR; GR. ΣΉΓΩΡ))
SEGOR (Heb. Ṣā'ar; Gr. Σηγώρ). - An ancient city of Palestine, south of the Dead Sea (Gen. 13:10; Deut. 34:3), first called Bala (Bela:… -
Seleucia
SELEUCIA. - A maritime city of Syria, mentioned twice in the Bible (1 Macc. 11:8; Acts 13:4); the most important among the various cities… -
Sepharvaim
SEPHARVAIM. - A city of the Assyrian Empire, from which the "king of Assyria," probably Sargon II, as from the centers of Cuthah, Avah and… -
Settim
SETTIM. - Two biblical localities, so named from the acacias (šittīm; Egyptian šist, later fonte; Assyrian samtu) planted there; not… -
Sharon (Heb. Haš-Šarōn) (SARON (EBR. HAŠ-ŠARÓN, GR. Ὁ ΣΑΦΏΝ, LAC. SARONAS))
SHARON (Heb. Haš-Šarōn). - 1. Biblical name of the stretch of the Palestinian plain that extends along the coast from Carmel as far as… -
Shechem (Heb. Šēḥḥem «Nuca»; Gr. Sychem or Sychima) (SICHEM (EBR. ŠĒHHEM « NUCA »; GR. ΣΥΧΈΜ O ΣΎΧΗΜΑ))
SHECHEM (Heb. Šēḥḥem «Nuca»; Gr. Sychem or Sychima). - Ancient city of Palestine in the center of the tribe of Ephraim, between Mounts Ebal… -
Shephelah (Heb. Haš-Šephēlāh "Lowland") (SEPHELA (EBR. HAŠ-ŠEPHĒLAH « BASSOPIANO »))
SHEPHELAH (Heb. Haš-Šephēlāh "Lowland"). - Term (often translated by the Septuagint as ἡ πεδινὴ [τῆ] = Vulgate campestris [terra], or τὸ… -
Shiloh (Heb. Šilô or Šilôh; Gr. Sēlō, Sēlōn) (SILO (EBR. ŠILŌ O ŠILŌH, GR. ΣΗΛΏ, ΣΗΛΏΝ))
SHILOH (Heb. Šilô or Šilôh; Gr. Sēlō, Sēlōn). - An ancient locality in Palestine in the tribe of Ephraim, corresponding, according to the… -
Shinar (Heb. Šin'ār) (SENNAAR (EBR. ŠIN'ĀR))
SHINAR (Heb. Šin'ār). - A geographical term that in certain biblical passages means the land of Babylonia, e.g., Gen. 10:10 ff. (even in… -
Shunem (Sunam) (SUNEM (SUNAM))
SHUNEM (SUNAM). - A Canaanite city of Palestine (Heb. Sūndam; Gk. Σουσάμ), occupied by Thutmose III (no. 38) and of notable importance… -
Siceleg (Heb. Şiqlagh) (SICELEG (EBR. ŞIQLAGH))
SICELEG (Heb. Şiqlagh). - A city assigned to the tribe of Judah in the division of the Promised Land (Josh. 15:31), then given to that of… -
Sichar (Gr. Sychar) (SICHAR (GR. ΣΥΧΆΡ))
SICHAR (Gr. Sychar). - A small town in the center of Palestine, mentioned only once, in Jn 4:5, as the homeland of the Samaritan woman,… -
Sidon (Heb. Sidhôn) (SIDONE (EBR. SIDHÔN))
SIDON (Heb. Sidhôn). - One of the oldest and most important maritime cities of Phoenicia, whose name, perpetuated in present-day Sajdā, 35… -
Siloe
SILOE. - Name designating a spring, today 'Ajn Siṭṭī Marjam, east of Jerusalem, as well as the channel beneath the hill of Ophel through… -
Sin
SIN. - Name of three biblical localities. 1. Desert (Heb. Sin) crossed by the Israelites on their itinerary from Elim and the Red Sea to… -
Sinai
SINAI. - Mountainous region, also called Horeb (v.), where the Israelites, three months after their departure from Egypt (Ex. 19:1),… -
Soba (Heb. Ṣābhāh, Ṣābhā', LXX Σοφά,-᾿Αλ) (SOBA (EBR. ṢĀBHĀH, ṢĀBHĀ', SETTANTA ΣΟΦΆ,-ἈΛ))
SOBA (Heb. Ṣābhāh, Ṣābhā', LXX Σοφά,-᾿Αλ). - An Aramaic kingdom (more precisely Aram [v.] of S.) to the northwest of Damascus, in the… -
Sodom and Gomorrah (SODOMA E GOMORRA)
SODOM AND GOMORRAH. - Names of the first two cities of the Pentapolis (v.) destroyed by divine justice for the lust and unnatural vices of… -
Sura
SURA. - A Mesopotamian city, on the left bank of the Euphrates, opposite Callinicum in Osroene, at the beginning of the Diocletian road… -
Sur (Heb. Šûr "Wall") (SUR (EBR. ŠÛR « MURAGLIA »))
SUR (Heb. Šûr "Wall"). - Desert crossed by the Israelites after a three days' march following the crossing of the Red Sea (Ex. 15:22),… -
Susa
SUSA - Capital of Elam (v.). The very ancient Šūfan ("lily" or "whiteness"), situated at the southern foot of the mountain range of… -
Tanis
TANIS. - Ancient Egyptian city, about 25 km from present-day es-Salihijjah near the village of Şan el-Hağar on a canal that was once part… -
Taphnes (Hebrew: Taphranas; in Ezek. 30:18, Tephranas) (TAPHNE (EBR. ΤΑΦΡΑΝΆΣ; IN EZ. 30, 18 ΤΕΦΑΡΝΆΣ))
TAPHNES (Hebrew: Taphranas; in Ezek. 30:18, Tephranas). - An Egyptian city (Ez. 30:18) where, after the assassination of Gedaliah, many… -
Tarshish (THARSIS)
TARSHISH. - A maritime city (or region) frequently mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, located in the far West (Is. 66, 19), in the direction of… -
Tarsus (Ταχάς) (TARSO (ΤΑΧΆΣ))
TARSUS (Ταχάς). - A city of Cilicia (Acts 22:3), on a plain, once fertile, irrigated by the Cydnus, which in ancient times ran through the… -
Tel Abhibh (TEL' ABHIBH)
TEL ABHIBH. - A center of Jewish deportees in Babylonia (Ezek. 3:15). The Hebrew term means "hill of the ear of grain," with an allusion to… -
Thamar (Heb. Tāmār «Palm») (THAMAR (EBR. TĀMĀR « PALMA »))
THAMAR (Heb. Tāmār «Palm»). - Name of three women and one locality of the Old Testament. 1. Wife of Er, firstborn of Judah (v.), son of… -
Thanach (Heb. Ta'ānākh and Ta'nākh; Septuagint Gevez) (THANACH (EBR. TA'ANĀKH E TA'NĀKH; SETTANTA GEVEZ))
THANACH (Heb. Ta'ānākh and Ta'nākh; Septuagint Gevez). - A vanished city of Palestine, identified with Tell Ta'annek, on the southern edge… -
Thebes (TEBE)
THEBES. - City of ancient Egypt called Θῶσι by the Greeks; its Egyptian name is Wóse and later Nī'e "the city" par excellence; in Hebrew N'… -
Thecua (Heb. Tēqōā; Septuagint Θεκώ and Θεκούς) (THECUA (EBR. TĒQŌĀ; SETTANTA ΘΕΚΩ͂ E ΘΕΚΟΥ͂Σ))
THECUA (Heb. Tēqōā; Septuagint Θεκώ and Θεκούς). - A city of Palestine in the tribe of Judah (Josh. 16:60 Gk.; 1 Chron. 2:24; 4:5) situated… -
Thersa (Heb. Tirzah; Gr. Θεραΐ) (THERSA (EBR. TIRZĀH; GR. ΘΕΡΑΪ́))
THERSA (Heb. Tirzah; Gr. Θεραΐ). - A city of ancient Palestine (Josh. 12:24), located in the territory of the tribe of Manasseh (Num.… -
Thessalonica (now Thessaloniki) (TESSALONICA (OGGI SALONICO))
THESSALONICA (now Thessaloniki). - A city on the Aegean Sea, a still-frequented port and a populous city. In antiquity it bore the name of… -
Thyatira (TIATIRA)
THYATIRA. - City of Lydia, founded or rather embellished and enlarged by Seleucus I (v.), who settled Macedonian colonists there, where… -
Tiberias (TIBERIADE)
TIBERIAS. - A city of Palestine, almost at the center of the western shore of the lake of the same name, founded near ancient Rakkath… -
Tigris (TIGRI)
TIGRIS. - One of the two great rivers - the eastern one - that flow from the eastern borders of Asia Minor in a south-easterly direction to… -
Torrent of Egypt (Heb. Naḥal Miṣráyim) (TORRENTE D'EGITTO (EBR. NÁHAL MIṢRÁJM))
TORRENT OF EGYPT (Heb. Naḥal Miṣráyim). - The southern frontier of the land of Canaan (Num. 34:5), of the tribe of Judah (Josh. 15:4-7) and… -
Trachonitis (Gr. Hē Trachōnítēs Chōra) (TRACONITIDE (GR. Ἡ ΤΡΑΧΩΝΊΤΗΣ ΧΏΡΑ))
TRACHONITIS (Gr. Hē Trachōnítēs Chōra). - Territory east of the Jordan, which together with that of Iturea formed the tetrarchy of Philip… -
Ur
UR. - A very ancient Mesopotamian city (Sumerian URIM⁴⁰, later URI⁴¹, Akkadian URG⁴²), named in the Bible in Gen. 11:28-31; 15:7; Neh. 9:7… -
Valley of Siddim (Heb. 'Ēmeq Šiddim) (SIDDIM, VALLE DI (EBR. 'ĒMEQ ŠIDDIM))
VALLEY OF SIDDIM (Heb. 'Ēmeq Šiddim). - A valley full of bitumen pits (Gen. 14:10), where Chedorlaomer with his allies defeated the king of… -
Zarephath (Heb. Sāréphath) (SAREPTA (EBR. SÁRÉPHATH; SETTANTA ΣΆΡΕΠΤΑ))
ZAREPHATH (Heb. Sāréphath). - Formerly a city of Phoenicia, 15 km south of Sidon (v.). It has remained famous because the prophet Elijah,… -
Zion (Heb. Şiyyôn) (SION (EBR. ŞIJJÔN))
ZION (Heb. Şiyyôn). - Indigenous name of the Jebusite fortress, situated in the southern part of the eastern hill (v. OPHEL) of Jerusalem… -
Ziph
ZIPH. - Two cities of ancient Palestine. 1. Settlement of the Negeb, at the southern extremity of the tribe of Judah (Josh. 15:24), founded…