Riblah was a city in Hamath where the Babylonians set up their headquarters during their campaigns against Judah (2Ki. 23:33; 25:6, 20-21; Jer. 39:5-6; 52:9-10, 26-27).
Also known as Diblah · Diblath
Riblah, located in the land of Hamath, was a city in ancient Syria where the Babylonians established their headquarters during their military campaigns against the kingdom of Judah. Pharaoh Necho of Egypt put Jehoahaz, king of Judah, in chains at Riblah (2Ki. 23:33). Later, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, captured Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, and brought him to Riblah, where he executed Zedekiah's sons before his eyes and then blinded him (2Ki. 25:6-7; Jer. 39:5-7; 52:9-11). The Babylonian army also brought other captured Judean officials to Riblah, where they were put to death (2Ki. 25:20-21; Jer. 52:26-27). Riblah's location on the Orontes River made it a strategic base for military operations. The exact site is identified with modern-day Ribleh in Syria, about 35 miles northeast of Baalbek, Lebanon.
Approximate location: 34.432, 36.545 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
11 verses in 3 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H7247
And Pharaoh Neco imprisoned Jehoahaz at Riblah in the land of Hamath so that he could not reign in Jerusalem, and he imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
The Chaldeans seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where they pronounced judgment on him.
Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.
There at Riblah in the land of Hamath, the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death. So Judah was taken into exile, away from its own land.
But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They seized him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him.
There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also killed all the nobles of Judah.
The Chaldeans seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on Zedekiah.
There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also killed all the officials of Judah.
Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.
There at Riblah in the land of Hamath, the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death. So Judah was taken into exile, away from its own land.
I will stretch out My hand against them, and wherever they live I will make the land a desolate waste, from the wilderness to Diblah. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”
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.