Bible Dictionary
REHOBOTH BY THE RIVER
Rehoboth by the River was the city where Shaul, an early ruler of Edom, lived. Its exact location is uncertain; “the river” may refer to the Euphrates or another boundary stream.
Definition
Rehoboth by the River was a city associated with Shaul, one of the rulers of Edom. Its exact location is uncertain, and the reference to “the river” does not determine the site with certainty.
Biblical Usage
The city appears only in the genealogical and royal lists describing Shaul’s residence.
Historical Background
“The river” usually means the Euphrates, and one proposal identifies the city with Rahaba west of that river. Other possibilities place it in Idumaea or near the boundary between Palestine and Egypt.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>(rehobhoth ha-nahar; Codex Vaticanus Rhooboth (Rhoboth in Chronicles) he para potamon; Codex Alexandrinus Rhoboth): This city is mentioned only as the residence of Shaul, one of the rulers of Edom (Ge 36:37; 1Ch 1:48). There is nothing to guide us with certainty as to the situation of the city. Eusebius (Onomasticon) places it in Idumaea (Gebalene), but no trace of a name resembling this has been found in the district. "The river" usually means the Euphrates. If the city could have been so far from Edom, it might be identified with Rahaba on the West of the river, 8 miles South of its confluence with the Khabur. Winckler thinks it might possibly be on the boundary between Palestine and Egypt, "the river" being Wady el-`Arish, "the brook of Egypt" (Nu 5; Jos 15:4, etc.).</p><p>W. Ewing</p>