Bible Locations

Anathoth was a town about three miles northeast of Jerusalem, in Benjamin, at the edge of the hill country overlooking the Judean wilderness. The ancient site is usually located at Ras el-Kharrubeh, near the Arab village of Anata, which preserves the name. It was a Levitical town for the priests. Solomon banished the priest Abiathar there for supporting Adonijah (1 Kings 2:26). Two of David's mighty men, Abiezer and Jehu, came from Anathoth. It's best known as the hometown of Jeremiah, "one of the priests at Anathoth." His own townsmen plotted to kill him for his prophecies (Jeremiah 11:21). While Jerusalem was under siege, Jeremiah bought a field in Anathoth from his cousin as a sign that "houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land" (Jeremiah 32). Isaiah 10:30 says, "Poor Anathoth!" as the Assyrian army approached. After the exile, 128 men of Anathoth returned (Ezra 2:23).