# Ataroth

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Three Israelite cities mentioned in the Hebrew Bible

Not to be confused with [Astaroth](/source/Astaroth).

**Ataroth** (עטרות‎ *‘Ǎṭārōṯ*) is the name of two or three Iron Age cities mentioned in the [Hebrew Bible](/source/Hebrew_Bible) and the [Mesha Stele](/source/Mesha_Stele).

## Etymology

Atarot(h) may mean "crowns" or "cattle pens" in [Hebrew](/source/Hebrew_language).[1]

## Mesha Stele

The Mesha Stele from about 840 BC was erected commemorating [Mesha](/source/Mesha)'s victory over the "son" of [Omri](/source/Omri), but he fails to say which one. He states that he massacred all the Israelites at Ataroth as satisfaction for the blood lust of [Chemosh](/source/Chemosh) and [Moab](/source/Moab). He adds that he captured Nebo (Ataroth) and killed everybody, 7,000 men, boys, women, girls, and maidens, because he had dedicated it to the goddess [Ashtar-Chemosh](/source/Ashtar-Chemosh).[2][*[clarification needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*]

## Hebrew Bible and identification

In the Hebrew Bible, the name Ataroth refers to two or perhaps three towns:

1. A town east of the [Jordan](/source/Jordan_River) in [Gilead](/source/Gilead), mentioned in [Numbers](/source/Book_of_Numbers), [32:3](https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0432.htm#3) & [32:34](https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0432.htm#34), in the territory of the [Tribe of Gad](/source/Tribe_of_Gad). Ataroth lay within the [tribal allotment](/source/Tribal_allotments_of_Israel) of [Reuben](/source/Tribe_of_Reuben), but was built up by the Gadites during the period of Israelite conquest. This is very probably [Khirbat Ataruz](/source/Khirbat_Ataruz),[3] north of Wadi Heidan. The [Mesha Stele](/source/Mesha_Stele) (Moabite Stone) is likely referring to this town.

1. A town west of the Jordan, mentioned in [Joshua](/source/Book_of_Joshua), [16:2](https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0616.htm#2), which describes the southern border of the children of Joseph (the tribes of [Ephraim](/source/Tribe_of_Ephraim) and [Manasseh](/source/Tribe_of_Manasseh)). This southern border of Joseph would also be the southern border of Ephraim within Joseph, and also be the northern border of [Benjamin](/source/Tribe_of_Benjamin). This Ataroth may be the same as Ataroth-Addar, mentioned in Joshua, [18:13](https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0618.htm#13), in a description of the border of Benjamin.[1] A possible location is ['Atara](/source/'Atara), south of [al-Bireh](/source/Al-Bireh) in the [West Bank](/source/West_Bank). Another is Khirbet ed-Darieh near [Lower Bethoron](/source/Lower_Bethoron).[4]

1. A town west of the Jordan, possibly the same as above, mentioned in Joshua, [16:7](https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0616.htm#7), which gives the borders of Ephraim within Joseph.

## Notes

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-DouglasTenney2011_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-DouglasTenney2011_1-1) J. D. Douglas; Merrill C. Tenney (3 May 2011). [*Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary*](https://books.google.com/books?id=8Tq7UcPMwacC&pg=PA138). Harper Collins. p. 138. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-310-49235-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-310-49235-1).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Albright, William Foxwell](/source/William_F._Albright) (1957). [*From the Stone Age to Christianity*](https://archive.org/details/fromstoneagetoch00will). Garden City, New York: [Doubleday](/source/Doubleday_(publisher)). pp. [280](https://archive.org/details/fromstoneagetoch00will/page/280).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [\[1\]](http://www.nic.gov.jo/pls/anti/siteinfo?v_siteno=2110002&v_main_code=30&v_sub_code=***)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Charles L. Souvay](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charles_L._Souvay&action=edit&redlink=1), ["Biblical Geography: Geographical Names in Holy Scripture: Atarotj"](https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/biblical-geography). [Catholic Encyclopedia](/source/Catholic_Encyclopedia) (1907-1912) via *Catholic Answers*. Accessed 2 April 2024.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ataroth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ataroth) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ataroth?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.