Anathoth

An'athoth (Heb., A nathoth', עֲנָתוֹת, answers, i.e. to prayers; Sept. Α᾿ναθώθ), the name of one city and of two men.

1. One of the towns belonging to the priests in the tribe of Benjamin, and as such a city of refuge (Jos 21:18). it is omitted from the list in Joshua 18, but included "suburbs" (1Ch 6:60 [45]). Hither, to his "fields," Abiathar was banished by Solomon after the failure of his attempt to put Adonijah on the throne (1Ki 2:26). This was the native place of Abiezer, one of David's 30 captains (2Sa 23:27; 1Ch 11:28; 1Ch 27:12), and of Jehu, another of the mighty men (1Ch 12:3). The "men" (אֲנָשִׁים, not בָּנִים, as in most of the other cases; compare, however, Netophah, Michmash, etc.) of Anathoth returned from the captivity with Zerubbabel (Ezr 2:23; Ne 7:27; Ne 1 Esdras 5:18). It is chiefly memorable, however, as the birthplace and usual residence of the prophet Jeremiah (Jer 1:1; Jer 11:21-23;

29:27; 32:7-9), whose name it seems to have borne in the time of Jerome, "Anathth of Jeremiah" (Onomast. s.v.). The same writer (Comment. in Jeremiah 1, 1) places Anathoth three Roman miles north of Jerusalem, which correspond with the twenty stadia assigned by Josephus (Ant. 10, 7, 3). In the Talmud (Yoma, 10) it is called Anath (עֲנָת). (For other notices, see Reland's Paloest. p. 561 sq.) Anathoth lay on or near the great road from the north to Jerusalem (Isa 10:30). The traditional site at Kuriet el-Enab does not fulfill these conditions, being 10 miles distant from the city, and nearer west than north. Dr. Robinson (Researches, 2, 109) appears to have discovered this place in the present village of Anata, at the distance of an hour and a quarter from Jerusalem (Tobler, Topogr. 5, Jerus. 2, 394). It is seated on a broad ridge of hills, and commands an extensive view of the eastern slope of the mountainous tract of Benjamin, including also the valley of the Jordan, and the northern part of the Dead Sea (see Hackett's Illustr. of Script. p. 191). It seems to have been once a walled town and a place of strength. Portions of the wall still remain, built of large hewn stones, and apparently ancient, as are also the foundations of some of the houses. It is now a small and very poor village; yet the cultivation of the priests survives in tilled fields of grain, with figs and olives. From the vicinity a favorite kind of building-stone is carried to Jerusalem. Troops of donkeys are employed in this service, a hewn stone being slung on each side; the larger stones are transported on camels (Raumer's Paldistina, p. 169; Thomson's Land and Book, 2, 548).

⇒Bible concordance for ANATHOTH.

Its inhabitants were sometimes called ANATHOTHITES SEE ANATHOTHITES (Annethothi', ענּתֹתִי, "Anethothite," 2Sa 23:27; or Anthothi', ענתֹתִי, "Antothite," 1Ch 11:28; "Anetothite," 27:12). SEE ANTOTHITE.

2. The eighth named of the nine sons of Becher, the son of Benjamin (1Ch 7:8). B.C. post 1856.

3. One of the chief Israelites that sealed the covenant on the return from Babylon (Ne 10:19), B.C. cir. 410.