Mareshah

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

1. A city of the Shephelah or "low hills" of Judah ( Joshua 15:43). Commanding in position; hence fortified by Rehoboam after the separation of Israel ( 2 Chronicles 11:8). Zerah the Ethiopian had reached Mareshah when Asa met and repulsed him ( 2 Chronicles 14:9-10); the "ravine" ( Geey ) of Zephathah was near. Now Marash; over a Roman mile S.S.W. of Beit Jibrin (Eleutheropolis), on a gently swelling hill descending from the mountains to the western plain. Eliezer son of Dodayah the prophet was of Mareshah ( 2 Chronicles 20:37.) Micah plays upon the meaning of Mareshah, "I will bring an heir (the Assyrian foe) unto thee, Mareshah" ("inheritance") ( Micah 1:15). Other heirs will supplant us in every inheritance, except heaven.

2. Mareshah, father of Hebron (a person, not the city):  1 Chronicles 2:42, where the relative position of the cities Mareshah and Hebron, and their historical relations, forbid our understanding the cities as meant.

3.  1 Chronicles 4:21. Mareshah sprung from Shelah, third son of Judah, through Laadah. Probably the same as Mareshah (1).

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

MARESHAH. 1. The ‘father’ of Hebron (  1 Chronicles 2:42 ). 2. A Judahite (  1 Chronicles 4:21 ). These genealogical data are really concerned with 3. An important city in the Shephçlah of Judah (  Joshua 15:44 ), fortified by Rehoboam (  2 Chronicles 11:8; see also 2Ch 14:9-10;   2 Chronicles 20:37 ,   Micah 1:15 ). Later on, under the name Marissa , Josephus describes ( Ant . XII. viii. 6 etc.) its extremely chequered history. The site of Mareshah has now with certainty been identified as Tell Sandahanna . This tell was partially excavated by Bliss and Macalister, but the identity of the site was finally demonstrated by the finding, in 1902, of a tomb by Messrs. Peters and Tiersch, adorned with a number of interesting pictured animals, etc., and about 200 inscriptions recording the names of many PhÅ“nician inhabitants of Marissa, about b.c. 200. The hill on which the ruins of Mareshah stand is riddled with the most extraordinary caves, once human dwellings. The old name Mareshah still lingers in Khurbet Merash , the name of some ruins about half a mile off. See also Marisa.

E. W. G. Masterman.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Mar'eshah or Mare'shah . (Crest Of A Hill). One of the cities of Judah in the low country.  Joshua 15:44. It was one of the cities fortified and garrisoned by Rehoboam after the rupture with the northern kingdom.  2 Chronicles 11:8. Near it was fought the great battle between Asa and Zerah.  2 Chronicles 14:9-12. It is mentioned once or twice in the history of the Maccabaean war of independence.  2 Maccabees 12:35.

About 110 B.C., it was taken from the Idumaeans by John Hyrcanus. It was in ruins in the fourth century, when Eusebius and Jerome describe it as in the second mile from Eleutheropolis. South-southwest of Beitjibrin - in all probability Eleutheropolis - and a little over a Roman mile therefrom is a site called Marash , which is possibly the representative of the ancient Mareshah.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Mareshah ( Ma-Rç'Shah ), Top Of A Hill. A city of Judah in the low country.  Joshua 15:44. It was fortified and garrisoned by Rehoboam after the rupture with the northern kingdom.  2 Chronicles 11:8. Near it the great battle between Zerah and Asa was fought.  2 Chronicles 14:9-12. It is mentioned once or twice in the history of the Maccabæan struggles.  1 Maccabees 5:1-68;  2 Maccabees 12:35.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. Fortified city in the lowlands of Judah.  Joshua 15:44;  2 Chronicles 11:8;  2 Chronicles 14:9,10;  2 Chronicles 20:37;  Micah 1:15 . Identified with ruins at Merash, 31 36' N, 34 53' E .

2. Father of Hebron.   1 Chronicles 2:42 .

3. Son of Laadah of the tribe of Judah.   1 Chronicles 4:21 .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 1 Chronicles 2:42 1 Chronicles 4:21 3 Joshua 15:44 2 Chronicles 11:8 2 Chronicles 14:9-14 2 Chronicles 20:37 Micah 1:15

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A town in Judah,  Joshua 15:44 , fortified by Rehobaoam,  2 Chronicles 11:8 , and the birthplace of Micah. In a valley near by, Asa defeated Zerah with an immense host of Ethiopians,  2 Chronicles 14:9-13 . It probably lay on the western border of Judah, just south of Eleutheropolis.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 John 15:44 2 Chronicles 14:9,10

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Hebrew Mareshah', מִרֵשָׁה , fully, מִרֵאשָׁה ,  Joshua 15:44;  1 Chronicles 2:42;  1 Chronicles 4:21; Sept. Μαρισά and Μαρησά , but in  1 Chronicles 2:42, Μαρισάς ), the name of one or two men, and also of a place, possibly settled by one of them.

1. A person named as the "father" of Hebron among the descendants of Judah, but it is only left to be inferred that he was the brother of Caleb's son Mesha, with whom the Sept. confounds him ( 1 Chronicles 2:42). B.C. prob. ante 1612.

2. In  1 Chronicles 4:21, a person of the name of Mareshah is apparently mentioned as the son of Laadah, of the family of Shelah, perhaps as being the founder of the city of the same name (B.C. cir. 1612); possibly identical with the foregoing.

3. A town in the tribe of Judah, "in the valley," enumerated with Keilah and Achzib ( Joshua 15:44), rebuilt (comp.  2 Chronicles 4:21) and fortified by Rehoboam ( 2 Chronicles 11:8). The Ethiopians under Zerah were defeated by Asa in the valley of Zephathah, near Mareshah ( 2 Chronicles 14:9-13). It was the native place of Eliezer ben-Dodavah, a prophet who predicted the destruction of the ships which king Jehoshaphat had built in conjunction with Ahaziah of Israel ( 2 Chronicles 20:37). It is included by the prophet Micah among the towns of the low country which he attempts to rouse to a sense of the dangers their misconduct is bringing upon them ( Micah 1:15). Like the rest, the apostrophe to Mareshah is a play on the name: "I will bring your heir (Yoresh) to you, O city of inheritance" (Mareshah). The following verse (16) shows that the inhabitants had adopted the heathen and forbidden custom of cutting off the back hair as a sign of mourning. In the time of the Maccabaeans it was occupied by the Idumseans ( 2 Maccabees 12:35), but it was laid desolate by Judas on his march from Hebron to Ashdod ( 1 Maccabees 5:65-68; Josephus, Ant. 12:8, 6). Only a few years later it is again reckoned to Idumaea; and Hyrcanus I took it and compelled its inhabitants to practice circumcision (Josephus, Ant. 13:9, 1). Josephus mentions it among the towns possessed by Alexander Jannsmus, which had been in the hands of the Syrians (Ant. 13:15, 4); but by Pompey it was restored to the former inhabitants, and attached to the province of Syria (ib. 14:1, 4). Maresa was among the towns rebuilt by Gabinius (ib. 14:5, 3), but was again destroyed by the Parthians in their irruption against Herod (ib. 14:13, 9). A place so often mentioned in history must have been of considerable importance; but it does not appear that it was ever again rebuilt (see Reland, Palest. p. 888). The site, however, is set down by Eusebius and Jerome (Onomast. s.v. Morasthi) as within two miles of Eleutheropolis, but the direction is not stated. Dr. Robinson (Bibl. Researches, 2:422) found, at a mile and a half south of the site of Eleutheropolis, a remarkable tel, or artificial hill, with foundations of some buildings. As there are no other ruins in the vicinity, and as the site is admirably suited for a fortress, this, he supposes, may have been Mareshah. According to Schwarz (Palest. p. 104) these ruins are still known by the Arabs by the name Marasa, probably the Marash described by Tobler (Dritte Wand. p. 129, 142) as lying on a gently swelling hill leading down from the mountains to the great western plain, from which it is but half an hour distant (Van de Velde, Memoir, p. 333).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ma - rē´sha ( מרשהּ , mārēshāh  ; Septuagint: Codex Vaticanus Βαθησάρ , Bathēsár  ; Codex Alexandrinus Μαρησά , Marēsá ): A town in the Shephelah of Judah named with Keilah and Achzib (  Joshua 15:44 ). It occupied such a position that Rehoboam thought well to fortify it for the protection of Jerusalem ( 2 Chronicles 11:8 ). In the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah, Asa overwhelmed Zerah the Ethiopian and his army, pursuing them as far as Gezer ( 2 Chronicles 14:9 ff). From Mareshah came Eliezer the prophet who denounced disaster upon the commercial copartnery of Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah (  2 Chronicles 20:37 ). The place is mentioned in Mic ( 2 Chronicles 1:15 ). Mareshah was plundered and burned by Judas Maccabeus ( Ant. , Xii , viii, 6; 1 Macc 5:66 the Revised Version margin). Hither Gorgias escaped, having been rescued from the hands of Dositheus by a Thracian horseman (2 Macc 12:35). It was taken by John Hyrcanus, who allowed the inhabitants to remain on condition that they adopt circumcision and submit to the Jewish law. This they did; and later John avenged an injustice done to Mareshah by the Samaritans. It is then described as "a colony of Jews" ( Ant. , Xiii , ix, 1; x, 2). The city was treated with favor by Pompey (XIV, iv, 4). When the Parthians invaded Judea in support of Antigonus they demolished Mareshah (xiii, 9).

According to Eusebius, Onomasticon , Mareshah was 2 Roman miles from Eleutheropolis ( Beit Jibr̂n ). Until recently it was thought that Khirbet Mir‛ash , where the old name lingers, not far Southwest of Beit Jibr̂n , represented the ancient city. The work of Dr. Bliss, however ("Excavations in Palestine," Pef ), shows that it must be located at Tell Sandaḥannah , about a mile South of Beit Jibr̂n . A series of remarkable tombs was discovered here. From   1 Chronicles 2:42 we may perhaps gather that Hebron was colonized by the men of Mareshah.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Mare´shah, a town in the tribe of Judah , rebuilt and fortified by Rehoboam . The Ethiopians under Zerah were defeated by Asa in the valley near Mareshah . It was laid desolate by Judas Maccabeus, on his march from Hebron to Ashdod (; Josephus, Antiq. xii. 8, 6). Josephus mentions it among the towns, possessed by Alexander Jannæus, which had been in the hands of the Syrians (Ib. xiii. 15, 4); but by Pompey it was restored to the former inhabitants, and attached to the province of Syria (Ib. xiv. 4, 4). Maresa was among the towns rebuilt by Gabinius (Ib. xiv. 5, 3), but was again destroyed by the Parthians in their eruption against Herod (Ib. xiv. 5, 3). A place so often mentioned in history must have been of considerable importance; but it does not appear that it was ever again rebuilt. The site, however, is set down by Eusebins and Jerome as within two miles of Eleutheropolis, but the direction is not stated. Dr. Robinson found, at a mile and a half south of the site of Eleutheropolis, a remarkable tell, or artificial hill, with foundations of some buildings. As there are no other ruins in the vicinity, and as the site is admirably suited for a fortress, this, he supposes, may have been Mareshah.