Arkite

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Arkite is used (  Genesis 10:17 ,   1 Chronicles 1:15 ) for the people of Arka, a town and district of PhÅ“nicia about 12 miles north of Tripolis. It was taken by Tiglath-pileser III. in b.c. 738. As the birthplace of the Emperor Alexander Severus, it was later called Cæsarea Libani. It is probably mentioned, under the form Irkata , in the Amarna Letters.

J. F. McCurdy.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Tribe descended from Canaan, son of Ham; it probably resided in Arca, in the north of Phoenicia, about 15 miles north of Tripoli, now called Tell Arka.  Genesis 10:17;  1 Chronicles 1:15 .

King James Dictionary

'ARKITE, n. A term used by Bryant to denote one of the persons who were preserved in the ark; or who, according to pagan fables, belonged to the ark.

'ARKITE, a. Belonging to the ark.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Genesis 10:17 1 Chronicles 1:15

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Genesis 10:17

Webster's Dictionary

(a.) Belonging to the ark.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Arki', עִרְקִי ; Sept. and Joseph. Ἀρουκαῖος , like the Samar. Aruki', עֲרוּקִי ), a designation of the inhabitants of Arka (Plin. v, 16; ῎Αρκα , Ptol. v, 15), who are mentioned in  Genesis 10:17;  1 Chronicles 1:15, as descended from the Phoenician or Sidonian branch of the great family of Canaan. This, in fact, as well as the other small northern states of Phoenicia, was a colony from the great parent state of Sidon. Arka, or Arce ( ῎Αρκη ), their chief town, lay between Tripolis and Antaradus, at the western base of Lebanon (Joseph. Ant. i, 6, 2; Jerome, Qucest. In  Genesis 10:15). Josephus (Ant. 8: 2, 3) makes Baanah, who in  1 Kings 4:16, is said to have been superintendent of the tribe of Asher, governor of Arka ( Ἀρκή ) by the sea; and if, as commonly supposed, the capital of the Arkites is intended, their small state must, in the time of Solomon, have been under the Hebrew yoke. In the time of Alexander a splendid temple was erected here in honor of Astarte, the Venus of the Phoenicians (Macrob. Sat. i, 21). Subsequently Arka shared the lot of the other small Phoenician states in that quarter; but in later times it formed part of Herod Agrippa's kingdom. Titus passed through it on his return from the destruction of Jerusalem ( Ἀρκαία , Joseph. War, 7: 5, 1). In the Midrash (Midr. Rabb. 37) it is called "Arkam of Lebanon" ( דִּלְבָּנוֹן עִרְקִם ). The name and site seem never to have been unknown (Mannert, p. 391), although for a time it bore the name of Caesarea Libani (Aurel. Vict. De Cces. 24:1), from having been the birthplace of Alexander Severus (Lamprid. Alex. Sev.). Coins are extant of it (Eckhel, Doctr. Num. iii, 360), but not of its Phoenician period (Gesenius, Monum. Phenic. ii, 285 sq.). It was eventually the seat of a Christian bishopric (Le Quien, Oriens Christ. ii, 815, 823). It is repeatedly noticed by the Arabian writers (Michaelis, Spicil. ii, 23; also Orient. Bibl. 6:99 sq.; Schultens, Vita Saladini; Edrisi, p. 13; Rosenmuller, Barhebr. Chronicles p. 282). It is mentioned in all the itineraries of this region, and is conspicuous in early ecclesiastical records. It also figures largely in the exploits of the Crusaders, by whom it was unsuccessfully besieged in 1099, but at last taken in 1109 by Bertrand (see Robinson's Researches, new ed. iii, 578 sq.). In 1202 it was totally destroyed by an earthquake. It lay 32 Roman miles from Antaradus, 18 miles from Tripoli, and, according to Abulfeda, a parasang from the sea (Tab. Syriae, p. 11). In a position corresponding to these intimations, Shaw (Observat. p. 270) noticed the site and ruins. Burckhardt (Syria, p. 162), in travelling from the north-east of Lebanon to Tripoli, at the distance of about four miles south of the Nahr-el-kebir (Eleutherus), came to a hill called Tel-Arka, which, from its regularly flattened conical form and smooth sides, appeared to be artificial. He was told that on its top were some ruins of habitations and walls. Upon an elevation on its east and south sides, which commands a beautiful view over the plain, the sea, and the Anzeiry mountains, are large and extensive heaps of rubbish, traces of ancient dwellings, blocks of hewn stone, remains of walls, and fragments of granite columns. These are no doubt the remains of Arka; and the hill was probably the acropolis or citadel, or the site of a temple (Hamesveld, iii, 39 sq.). The present village has 21 Greek and 7 Moslem families-a wretched hamlet amid the columns of this once splendid city (Bibliotheca Sacra, 1848, p. 16).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ark´ı̄t ( ערקי , ‛arḳı̄ ): An inhabitant of the town of Arka, situated some ten or twelve miles Northeast of Tripoils, Syria, and about four miles from the shore of the sea. The Arkites are mentioned in  Genesis 10:17 and   1 Chronicles 1:15 as being the descendants of Canaan, and they were undoubtedly of Phoenician stock. The place was not of much importance, but it is mentioned in the Assyrian inscriptions, under the name Irkatah and taken by Tiglathpileser Iii in 738 bc. Not being on the sea its trade was small and it probably belonged to Tripoli or Botrys originally. It was the birthplace of Alexander Severus, hence its Roman name, Caesarea Libani. Its site is marked by a high mound near the foothills of Lebanon.