HAMATH, a celebrated City of Syria, which we take to be Emesa upon the Orontes. The entring into Hamath, which is Josh. xiii. 5. Judg. iii. 3. 1 Kings viii. 65. 2 Kings xiv. 25. 2 Chr. vii. 8.is frequently spoken of in Scripture, is the narrow Pass leading from the Land of Canaan to Syria, through the Valley which lies between Libanus and Antilibanus. This Entrance into Hamath is set down as the northern boundary of the Land of Canaan, opposite to the southern limits, the Nile, or river of Egypt. Josephus1, and St. Jerom after him2, believed Hamath to be Epiphania. But Theodoret3, and many other good Geographers, maintained it to be Emesa in Syria.
The same Theodoret4 declares, that Aquila translated Hamath, Epiphania. For his part, he believes, that there were two cities of this name, which were to be distinguished; one surnamed the Great in Amos, Amos vi. 2.which is the same as Emesa; the other called simply Hamath, which, says he, is the same as Epiphania5. St. Jerom6 and St. Cyril of Alexandria7, believe on the contrary, that Hamath the Great is Antioch, and that Hamath without an epithet, is Epiphania. But I cannot tell whether it can be shewn by any Text of Scripture, that there were two Hamaths in Syria. Josh. xix. 35.Joshua assigns the city of Hamath to the Tribe of Naphtali. Toi King of Hamath, cultivated a good understanding with 2 Sam. viii. 9.David. This city was taken by the Kings of Judah, and retaken from the Syrians by 2 Kings xiv. 28.Jeroboam the second. The Kings of Assyria made themselves masters of it upon the declension of the Kingdom of Israel, and 2 Kings xvii. 24. & xviii. 34, &c.transplanted the inhabitants of Hamath into Samaria.
Read this article in its place on the printed pages