The Ascent of Adumim

מַעֲלֵה אֲדֻמִּים · “Adumim Ascent” on the map

Where was the Ascent of Adumim? The old Jericho road, near the Good Samaritan Inn. I mark it certain.

King David fled down this road toward the Jordan to escape his son Absalom. Shimei ran along the hillside above him, cursing and throwing stones.

By Aaron Shaffier, licensed Israel tour guide and mapmaker · About the mapmaker

Site today: The old Jericho road, near the Good Samaritan Inn
How sure: Certain The name, the sources and the finds all agree.
Other names: Ma'ale HaAdumim, Tal'at ed-Damm, Maledomni, Ascent of Adummim, Maale Adumim
Location: 31.8011° N, 35.3153° E (Google Maps)

The Ascent of Adumim on the hand-drawn Map of Biblical Israel — Adumim Ascent on our hand-drawn Map of Biblical Israel. Get the full map as a print →

How we know where it was

Adumim means red places, and the road climbs through red, iron-stained rock. The Arabic name says the same thing more darkly: Tal'at ed-Damm, the ascent of blood. In the fourth century Eusebius recorded a Roman fort here called Maledomni, Ma'ale HaAdumim barely changed. The ruined fortress of Qal'at ed-Damm still stands on the hill.

Joshua marks the border of Judah and Benjamin by the ascent and puts it "south of the wadi." That fits the ridge above Wadi Qelt exactly.

This is the natural road from Jericho up to Jerusalem, so the Bible's flights run along it. Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, took it by night.

Visiting today

The Good Samaritan Inn museum on Highway 1 and the ruins of Qal'at ed-Damm sit at the top of the ascent. Trails below follow the old Roman road and Wadi Qelt.