Ramath-Negeb

or RAMATH OF THE SOUTH (Heb. Ramath' Ne'geb, רָמִת נֶגֶב; Sept. Βαμὲθ κατὰ λίβα, v. r. Ι᾿αμὲθ κατὰ λίβα ; Vulg. Ranath contra australem plagam), a place apparently on the extreme southern border of Simeon. In this form it is only mentioned in Joshua 19:8; and, from the peculiarity of the construction, there being no copulative, it would seem to be only another name for BAALATH-BEER, as suggested by Reland (Palaest. p. 964), and interpreted by Keil (ad loc.); yet the Sept. makes the places distinct. Be this as it may, Negeb is manifestly the name of a district, and not a general term, signifying "south." (See NEGEB). Ramah is not mentioned in the list of Judah (comp. Joshua 15:21-32), nor in that of Simeon in 1 Chronicles 4:28-33; nor is it mentioned by Eusebius and Jerome. Van de Velde (Memoir, p. 342) takes it as identical with Ramath- lehi, which he finds at Tell el-Lekiyeh; but this appears to be so far south as to be out of the circle of Samson's adventures, and, at any rate, must wait for further evidence.

In 1 Samuel 30:27, SOUTH RAMOTH (רָוֹתאּנֶגֶב, in the plural; Sept. ῾Ραμὰ νότου, v. r. ῾Ραμὰθ νότου Vulg. Ramuoth ad nzeridien) is mentioned as one of the cities to which David sent portions of the spoils of the Amalekites. Doubtless, it is the same place called by Joshua Ramath- negeb. The name should be written Ramoth-negeb. The site is unknown, and the region where it stood is, in a great measure, unexplored.