Numbers 34:8

Verse 8. Emath. It is of great importance to fix the situation of this city. Some take it to be Antioch, the capital of Syria, on the Orontes. But that was a modern city, founded by Nicanor, and called after his father, Antiochus, and embellished by Callinicus and Epiphanes. Strabo xvi.—Others believe it is Epiphania, at the foot of Libanus, on the same river, and a distinct city from Emath Rabba, or “the great,” of Amos 6:2. Josephus i. 7. ( Calmet.) and S. Jerom (in Isaiah 10.) seem to be of this opinion. Menochius.—But the city in question was most probably Emesa, of which Amos speaks above. It was also upon the river Orontes, at a small distance to the east of Libanus, on the road to Damascus. This road was the northern boundary. Emesa was perhaps formerly the capital of the country of Soba, (2 Chronicles 8:3,) and was taken by Solomon. Reblatha, or Rebla, (verse 11,) was a part of its territory. Theod. in Jer. xxxix. 5. Calmet.