Lukasz Niesiolowski-Spanò, «Where Should One Look for Gideon’s Ophra?», Vol. 86 (2005) 478-493
The hypothesis presented in this article offers a new way of explaining a number
of discrepancies in the biblical text. Perhaps more importantly, it opens the door
to the identification of a place known from the biblical tradition with a known site
of archaeological importance. Finally, the identification of Ophra with Ramat
Rahel, which in ancient times was very likely called hrp(-tyb@ / rp(-tyb@, sheds light
on the tradition of connecting Ephratah (htrpa) with Judah, (1 Chr 1,19. 50), and
the hitherto difficult hrp( tyb@ in Mic 1,10.
488 Òukasz Niesio¬owski-Spanò
BCE)(35). Aharoni — one of the tell excavators — identified Ramat
Rahel with biblical Beth ha-Kerem (Jer 6,1; Neh 3,14) (36). This proper
name, translated as “house of the vineyard†(37), witnesses to the
abundance of archaeological finds showing a high degree of wine
production in and around this area. Aharoni furthermore states that
Jehoiakim’s palace (608-597), constructed close to Jerusalem’s city
walls and mentioned in Jer 22,13-19, could be identified with the
remains of investments found at Ramat Rahel (38).
Further confirmation of the identification of Ophra and Ramat
Rahel is found in the city’s original name. According to the
reconstruction proposed by Giovanni Garbini, who rejected the
identification of Ramat Rahel as Beth ha-Kerem, another city name
can be restored (39). Based on the Georgian Calendar from 10th century
CE, he proposed the original form of the name: Beto’er / Betebrey /
Betebre as: rpj tyB or hrp[ tyB (40), with the latter form recalling the
name used for Bethlehem in Mic 1,10 — Bet Efratah (hrp[l tyB) (41).
The forms proposed by Garbini show the equivalence of the names
deriving from the roots: ¿pr and ÷pr.
Archaeological works at Ramat Rahel show the dominant role of
the citadel and large residential complex. The enigmatic fortified place
from the story recalls Migdal Eder, the tower (lDgm) mentioned in the
account of Rachel’s death (Gen 35,21). There is hardly any doubt as to
the place of Rachel’s death being the same as her burial place. In
Genesis one can find the information in rd[AlDgm — “the tower of
flock†(42). Unfortunately, we do not know whether it is the proper
name of a certain tower, or the description of an anonymous
architectural structure. To further complicate matters, we do not know
where the structure mentioned in the text was located. In this context
one may recall the biblical text where, in the account of Gideon, “a
stronghold†(zw[m) is mentioned. Let us then speculatively propose the
(35) Ibid.
(36) Ibid., 122; cf. R.W. YOUNKER, “Beth-Hacceremâ€, ABD I, 686-687.
(37) Cf. The term µr,K, in Deut 22,9; Is 3,14; Cant 8,11.
(38) AHARONI, Excavations at Ramat Rahel, 122-123.
(39) G. GARBINI, “Sul nome antico di Ramat Rahelâ€, RSO 16 (1961) 199-205;
ID., Note di lessicografia, 36.
(40) The form of the name reconstructed by Garbini contains ayin not aleph.
(41) This is a very corrupted verse, and probably the original form of the name
is preserved in the Syriac version: hrp[ tyb.
(42) This name appears again in Mic 4,8, this time connected with Jerusalem.
Cf. D.C. LIID, “Eder, Tower ofâ€, ABD II, 284.