Libnah
Encyclopedia
Libnah or Lobna was a town in the Kingdom of Judah
. The town of Libnah revolted during the reign of King Jehoram
of Judah, according to II Chronicles
(21:10), because he "had abandoned [the] God of his fathers."
Josiah
, King of Judah, married Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah (1 Chronicles
3:15; 2 Kings 23:31-32;2 Kings 24:17-18; Jeremiah
22:11). Two of their sons, Jehoahaz
and Zedekiah
also became Kings of Judah
. Libnah was one of the places the Israelite
s stopped on the Exodus
. (Joshua
10:29)
As recorded in the Bible at 2 Kings 19 and Isaiah
37, in 732 BCE 185,000 Assyrian soldiers under King Sennacherib
were killed by an angel of God while encamped near Libnah, thwarting their advance from Lachish
to Jerusalem.
Kingdom of Judah
The Kingdom of Judah was a Jewish state established in the Southern Levant during the Iron Age. It is often referred to as the "Southern Kingdom" to distinguish it from the northern Kingdom of Israel....
. The town of Libnah revolted during the reign of King Jehoram
Jehoram of Judah
Jehoram of Judah was the king of the southern Kingdom of Judah, and the son of Jehoshaphat .According to , Jehoram became king of Judah in the fifth year of Jehoram of Israel, when his father Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, indicating a co-regency. The author of Kings also speaks of both Jehoram...
of Judah, according to II Chronicles
Books of Chronicles
The Books of Chronicles are part of the Hebrew Bible. In the Masoretic Text, it appears as the first or last book of the Ketuvim . Chronicles largely parallels the Davidic narratives in the Books of Samuel and the Books of Kings...
(21:10), because he "had abandoned [the] God of his fathers."
Josiah
Josiah
Josiah or Yoshiyahu or Joshua was a king of Judah who instituted major reforms. Josiah is credited by most historians with having established or compiled important Jewish scriptures during the Deuteronomic reform that occurred during his rule.Josiah became king of Judah at the age of eight, after...
, King of Judah, married Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah (1 Chronicles
Books of Chronicles
The Books of Chronicles are part of the Hebrew Bible. In the Masoretic Text, it appears as the first or last book of the Ketuvim . Chronicles largely parallels the Davidic narratives in the Books of Samuel and the Books of Kings...
3:15; 2 Kings 23:31-32;2 Kings 24:17-18; Jeremiah
Jeremiah
Jeremiah Hebrew：יִרְמְיָה , Modern Hebrew:Yirməyāhū, IPA: jirməˈjaːhu, Tiberian:Yirmĭyahu, Greek:Ἰερεμίας), meaning "Yahweh exalts", or called the "Weeping prophet" was one of the main prophets of the Hebrew Bible...
22:11). Two of their sons, Jehoahaz
Jehoahaz of Judah
Jehoahaz or Joachaz in the Douay-Rheims and some other English translations was king of Judah and son of king Josiah whom he succeeded and Hamautal, daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. He was born in 633/632 BC and his birth name was Shallum...
and Zedekiah
Zedekiah
Zedekiah or Tzidkiyahu was the last king of Judah before the destruction of the kingdom by Babylon. He was installed as king of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon, after a siege of Jerusalem to succeed his nephew, Jeconiah, who was overthrown as king after a reign of only three months and...
also became Kings of Judah
Kings of Judah
The Kings of Judah ruled the ancient Kingdom of Judah after the death of Saul, when the tribe of Judah elevated David to rule over it. After seven years, David became king of a reunited Kingdom of Israel. However, in about 930 BC the united kingdom split, with ten of the twelve Tribes of Israel...
. Libnah was one of the places the Israelite
Israelite
According to the Bible the Israelites were a Hebrew-speaking people of the Ancient Near East who inhabited the Land of Canaan during the monarchic period .The word "Israelite" derives from the Biblical Hebrew ישראל...
s stopped on the Exodus
The Exodus
The Exodus is the story of the departure of the Israelites from ancient Egypt described in the Hebrew Bible.Narrowly defined, the term refers only to the departure from Egypt described in the Book of Exodus; more widely, it takes in the subsequent law-givings and wanderings in the wilderness...
. (Joshua
Book of Joshua
The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and of the Old Testament. Its 24 chapters tell of the entry of the Israelites into Canaan, their conquest and division of the land under the leadership of Joshua, and of serving God in the land....
10:29)
As recorded in the Bible at 2 Kings 19 and Isaiah
Isaiah
Isaiah ; Greek: ', Ēsaïās ; "Yahu is salvation") was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah.Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus...
37, in 732 BCE 185,000 Assyrian soldiers under King Sennacherib
Sennacherib
Sennacherib |Sîn]] has replaced brothers for me"; Aramaic: ) was the son of Sargon II, whom he succeeded on the throne of Assyria .-Rise to power:...
were killed by an angel of God while encamped near Libnah, thwarting their advance from Lachish
Lachish
Lachish was an ancient Near East town located at the site of modern Tell ed-Duweir in the Shephelah, a region between Mount Hebron and the maritime plain of Philistia . The town was first mentioned in the Amarna letters as Lakisha-Lakiša...
to Jerusalem.
Possible Sites and Excavations
- The excavators of Tell ZeitahTell ZeitahTel Zayit is an archaeological tell in the Shephelah, or lowlands, of Israel. It may have been the site of the biblical city of Libnah or Ziklag .-History:...
have suggested it as a possible location of Libnah. - An excavation has been initiated at Tel BurnaTel BurnaTel Burna is an Israeli archaeological site located in the Shephelah , along the banks of Nahal Guvrin, not far from modern-day Qiryat Gat.-History:...
, which has also been identified as the possible site of Libnah.