Riblah

RIBLAH, Rebla, Riblata, or Reblata, a City of Syria, in the Country of Emath. Its Situation is unknown. St. Jerom¹ has taken it for Antiochia of Syria, or for the Country of Emath or Emmas, which was still, in his Time, the first Stage of those that travelled from Syria into Mesopotamia. We know not what was the ancient Name of the City of Antioch; but we know the Name it bore after the Reign of the Seleucidæ, and what it still bears, is a new Name. St. Jerom had, probably, some particular Knowledge of this Matter, since he assures us so positively, and in so many Places, that the ancient Riblah was Antioch.

Yet however, this lies under great Difficulties. Antioch was at a good Distance from Emesa, or Emath; it was not upon the Road from Judea to Mesopotamia. When Moses describes the Eastern Limits of the Land of Numbers xxxiv. 10, 11, 12.Promise, he says, And ye shall point out your East Border from Hazar-enan to Shepham. And the Coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the East-side of Ain; and the Border shall descend, and shall reach unto the Side of the Sea of Chinnereth, (or, of Tiberias) Eastward. And the Border shall go down to Jordan; and the Goings-out of it shall be at the Salt-sea (or, the Dead-sea). The Name of Daphne is not found in the Hebrew; but the Chaldee Paraphrasts and St. Jerom explain the Fountain of Riblah by that of Daphne, near to Antioch. Ezekiel puts the Northern Bounds of the Land of Promise from the Mediterranean-Sea to Hazar-enan, or Atrium Enan. He says, that Emath is the City that limits the Holy Land towards the North; and that its Southern Limits go through the Middle of Auran, Damascus, and the Mountains of Gilead. He makes no mention of Riblah; but he marks out Emath, in the Territory of which Riblah was situate.

The Habitation of Riblah was one of the most agreeable of all Syria; whence it was that the Kings of Babylon were so willing to make their Abode there. Pharaoh Necho King of Egypt made a Stop there, at his Return 2 Kings xxiii. 33.from the Expedition of Carchemish; and having made Jehoahaz King of Judah to come thither to him, he deprived him of the Royal Dignity, and put Jehoiakim in his Place. Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon continued at Riblah, while his General Nebuzaradan laid Siege to Jerusalem; and after 2 Kings xxv. 6, 20, 21. Jer. xxix. 5. & lii. 9.the Reduction of this Place, King Zedekiah and the rest of the Prisoners were brought to him to Riblah, where Nebuchadnezzar caus’d Zedekiah’s Eyes to be put out, and made his Sons and principal Officers to be put to Death in the Presence of this unfortunate Prince.

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