Ashteroth-karnaim was a city east of the Jordan River defeated by King Chedorlaomer.
Also known as Ashteroth Karnaim · Karnaim · horns
Ashteroth-karnaim, also called Karnaim, was an ancient city located east of the Jordan River in the region of Bashan. It is first mentioned in the Bible as one of the cities defeated by Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and his allies during the time of Abraham (Genesis 14:5). The name Ashteroth-karnaim likely means "Ashteroth of the two horns," possibly referring to the goddess Astarte who was depicted with horns. The city was later part of the territory allotted to the half-tribe of Manasseh (Joshua 13:29-31). The prophet Amos denounced the city, possibly indicating that it had become a center of idolatry (Amo.6.13).
Approximate location: 32.767, 36.017 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
Ashteroth of the two horns, the abode of the Rephaim (Gen. 14:5). It may be identified with Ashtaroth preceding; called “Karnaim”, i.e., the “two-horned” (the crescent moon). The Samaritan version renders the word by “Sunamein,” the present es-Sunamein, 28 miles south of Damascus.
(Ashteroth of the two horns or peaks) a place of very great antiquity, the abode of the Rephaim. (Genesis 14:5) The name reappears but once, as Carnaim or Carnion, 1 Macc. 5:26,43,44; 2 Macc. 12:21,26, in “the land of Galaad.” It is probably the modern Es-Sanamein, on the Haj route, about 25 miles south of Damascus.
ASHTEROTH KAR'NAIM (Ashteroth of the two horns), a city of the giant Rephaim in Bashan, Gen 14:5; perhaps modern Sanamein, 30 miles south of Damascus, though Porter thinks it possibly identical with Kenath and modern Karnaim. Others with greater probability, suggest Tell-Aehtded, 20 miles east of the Sea of Garlilee.
ASHTEROTH KAR'NAIM (Ashteroth of the two horns), a city of the giant Rephaim in Bashan, Gen 14:5; perhaps modern Sanamein, 30 miles south of Damascus, though Porter thinks it possibly identical with Kenath and modern Karnaim. Others with greater probability, suggest Tell-Aehtded, 20 miles east of the Sea of Garlilee.
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
2 verses in 2 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H6255
In the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh-kiriathaim,
you who rejoice in Lo-debar and say, ‘Did we not take Karnaim by our own strength?’
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.