Anathoth

The prophet Jeremiah's hometown, a priestly city in the territory of Benjamin.

Anathoth was a Levitical city in the territory of Benjamin assigned to the priests, the sons of Aaron (Josh 21:17-18; 1 Chron 6:60). It stood on a ridge about 5 km (3 mi) northeast of Jerusalem, overlooking the Jordan Valley and the northern end of the Salt Sea. The modern village of ʽAnata preserves the ancient name, while the original town site is generally identified with Ras el-Kharrubeh, about 800 m southwest of the village. It was also the home of Abiezer, one of David's mighty men (2 Sam 23:27; 1 Chron 11:28). After Solomon became king, he banished the high priest Abiathar to his fields at Anathoth for backing Adonijah's claim to the throne; with that the priesthood of Eli's line came to an end, fulfilling Jehovah's earlier prophecy (1 Kings 2:26-27). When the Assyrian army advanced on Jerusalem, Anathoth was among the towns overrun (Isa 10:30). The prophet Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah, a priest of Anathoth, and he was called by Jehovah there in his youth (Jer 1:1); yet the men of Anathoth sought his life for prophesying in Jehovah's name, and Jehovah foretold disaster upon the city, which came to pass when the Babylonians invaded (Jer 11:21-23; 29:27). During the siege of Jerusalem, Jeremiah obeyed Jehovah by buying his cousin Hanamel's field in Anathoth for seventeen shekels of silver and sealing the deed—a sign that the people would one day return from exile and again buy houses, fields and vineyards (Jer 32:7-15). After the exile, 128 men of Anathoth returned with Zerubbabel and resettled their town (Ezra 2:23; Neh 7:27; 11:32).