Places in the Bible Today:

Naioth

Data

Translated NameNaioth
Typesettlement
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

2 Possible Identifications

  1. within 2 km of Ramah 4 (ancient): 70% confidence. It may be:

    1. cityscape of Al Ramwithin 2 km of Al Ram

    2. building at Beit Rimawithin 2 km of Beit Rima

    3. cityscape of Ramallahwithin 2 km of Ramallah

    4. building at Nabi Samwilwithin 2 km of Nabi Samwil

    5. ruins at Ramat Rahelwithin 2 km of Ramat Rahel

    6. cityscape of Rantiswithin 2 km of Rantis

  2. not a proper name (camps where Samuel lived): 30% confidence

Verses (6)

1Sam 19:18, 19:19, 19:22, 19:23, 20:1, 20:42

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Logos FactbookNaioth
OpenBible.info (2007)Naioth
OpenBible.infoae1c9ea (Naioth)
TIPNRNaioth@1Sa.19.18
UBS Names Databaseot ID_1966
WikidataQ6959726

Sources

  1. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Naioth (place)
  2. Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2013): Naioth
  3. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Naioth
  4. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Naioth
  5. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1984): 1Sam 19:18-24
  6. Gordon, I and II Samuel (1986): 1Sam 19:18
  7. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Naioth
  8. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (2011): Naioth
  9. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2003)
  10. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Naioth
  11. IVP Old Testament Bible Background Commentary (2000): 1Sam 19:18-24
  12. Lexham Bible Dictionary (2016): Naioth
  13. Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2014): Naioth
  14. New Bible Dictionary (1996): Naioth
  15. New Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary (2009)
  16. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988)
  17. Tyndale Bible Dictionary (2001): Naioth
  18. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Naioth
  19. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975): Naioth
  20. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010)
  21. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  22. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): 1Sam 19:18

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others (in this case, within 2 km of Ramah 4), then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

Soman, KafrAdDeek, Soman, Alexey Goral, Bukvoed, יעקב

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.