חֲמָת

n.pr.loc. (√ dub.; Thes MV al. der. from חָמָה, חֲמָת = fortress, or (v. RSSem i, 140), sacred enclosure, temenos, ḥimā, cf. HalJAS 7 ème Sér. x, 392 LagBN 82, 156; but no certainty that name is Shemitic; Arabic حَمَاة, Assyrian Amattu, DlPA 275 ff. Pr 174);—mod. Ḥamâ, on el-ʿÂṣi (Orontes), 38 h. (c. 115 m.) N. of Damascus, v. BdPal. 398 f. It had a king, תֹּעִי, in David’s time 2 S 8:9 = 1 Ch 18:9, and in 8th cent. b.c. 2 K 19:13 = Is 37:13; gods of its own 2 K 17:30; 18:34 = Is 36:19; gave its name to land (limits unknown) רִבְלָה בְּאֶרֶץ ח׳ 2 K 23:33; 25:21 Je 39:5; 52:9, 27, cf. 2 Ch 8:4; contained Isr. exiles Is 11:11; furnished colonists for Samaria 2 K 17:24 (cf. v 30 supr.) after being conquered by Sargon, (COT 2 K 17:24; 18:34 cf. Is 10:9). It is called great Hamath by Am 6:2 (חֲמַת רַבָּה,—חֲמַת only here). ח׳ is mentioned with דַּמֶּשֶׂק, צֹר, צִידוֹן in prophecy against land Hadrach (חַדְרָךְ) Zc 9:2, cf. Je 49:23. Often in phr. לְבֹא ח׳ (עַד־) = the entrance to H., i.e. the approach to H., as territorial limit Ju 3:3; usually as denoting (ideal) northern limit of Isr. territory Jos 13:5; Nu 13:21; 24:8; Am 6:14; 1 K 8:65 = 2 Ch 7:8, 2 K 14:25 1 Ch 13:5; חֲמָ֑תָה 1 Ch 18:3; ח׳ צובָה 2 Ch 8:3, and הֵשִׁיב אֶת־דַּמֶּשֶׂק וְאֶת־ח׳ לִיחוּדָה 2 K 14:28; so also Ez 47, 48: גְּבוּל ח׳ Ez 47:17, cf. v 16b + v 16a (del. Co); לְבוֹא ח׳ 48:1, cf. 47:20; אֶל־יַד ח׳ 48:1.