RAMOTH-GILEAD rā məth-gĭl ĭ əd (רָמֹ֣ת גִּלְעָ֑ד). Under Solomon’s administration Ramoth-gilead was designated as the center of the district which was E of the Jordan and extended N of the Yarmuk (1 Kings 4:13). This town was one of the cities of refuge (Deut 4:43; Josh 20:8) assigned to the Mearite Levites of Gad (Josh 21:38; 1 Chron 6:80). A frontier town, Ramoth-gilead was a key military outpost in the wars between Syria and Israel. Ahab was killed in battle at Ramoth-gilead (1 Kings 22:3-40; 2 Chron 18). Then Jehu was anointed king by one of Elisha’s young prophets (2 Kings 8:28-9:14).

The location of Ramoth-gilead is not certain. The Onomasticon places it near the Jabbok some 15 m. W of Philadelphia (Amman). The lists of Solomon’s administrative centers and the accounts of the war with Syria suggest a site more to the N. The imposing site of Husn Ajlun has been suggested by Albright as a possible location. Glueck’s surface studies support this possibility. The 1967 excavation of Tell er-Ramith conducted by P. Lapp uncovered evidence which provides a strong case for its identification with Ramoth-gilead. Ramith is 15 m. E of Irbid and 3 m. S of Ramtha. The continuity of the name and the geographic location have been noted as significant. The parallels between the occupational history as determined by excavated architectural evidence and artifacts and the literary record support the identification of Ramith as a strong possibility for the location of Ramoth-gilead.