Eshtemoa
אֶשְׁתְּמֹעַ · “Eshtamoa” on the map
Where was biblical Eshtemoa? At the old core of as-Samu', south of Hebron, about 45 km south of Jerusalem. I mark it very likely.
David came back from rescuing his families from the Amalekites and sent a share of the spoil to the elders of Eshtamoa. Gifts like these built the loyalty that would soon make him king in Hebron.
By Aaron Shaffier, licensed Israel tour guide and mapmaker · About the mapmaker
- Site today
- Old core of as-Samu', south of Hebron
- How sure
- Very likely Strong evidence, with no serious rival.
- Other names
- Eshtemoh, Ashtemoe, Esthemoa, Esthema
- Location
- 31.4008° N, 35.0673° E (Google Maps)
How we know where it was
The Arabic name as-Samu' keeps the core of the Hebrew Eshtemoa. The town sits among Anim, Yatir and the other southern hill towns, just where Joshua's lists put it. It was also a priestly city, given with its pastures to the sons of Aaron.
The Jewish town lasted for centuries. Eusebius described a large Jewish village here. The Jerusalem Talmud mentions a sage from the town. And a large synagogue from the 4th to 7th centuries still stands to a good height in the old core of as-Samu'.
The most striking find came from beside that synagogue. An excavator found about 26 kilograms of silver hidden in five Iron Age jugs. Some of the jugs carry the Hebrew word chamesh, "five" or "fifth." It may be tax silver collected by a priestly city. That is a guess, but a reasonable one, and it fits the town Joshua describes.
So the case stands on three legs: the name, the ancient witnesses and the place in the lists. There is no inscription with the town's name, and no serious rival.
Visiting today
The ancient synagogue stands in as-Samu', and visits are usually arranged in organized groups. Its menorah relief is displayed in Israeli museums.
Read it in the Bible
Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In a handful of chapters English Bibles count one verse off.
See Eshtamoa on the interactive map →
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Get the print + free ebookNearby places
- Anim 5 km south
- Juttah 5 km northeast
- Debir (Kiriath Sepher) 6 km northwest
- Maon 6 km east
- Carmel in Judah 7 km east
- Jattir 7 km southwest