Bible Dictionary
Rezeph
Rezeph was an ancient fortress or city mentioned by Sennacherib among the places conquered by Assyria. It was probably located east of Hamath, near the Euphrates trade routes.
Definition
Rezeph was an ancient city or fortress mentioned among the places conquered by Assyria. It lay in the region east of Hamath and northeast of the Euphrates route, and is identified with Rucafa.
Biblical Usage
Rezeph appears in Sennacherib’s message to Hezekiah as an example of a place conquered by Assyria, alongside Gozan, Haran, and the children of Eden at Telassar.
Historical Background
Rezeph was an important trade center and was under Assyrian dominion. Assyrian lists name governors there from the ninth through the seventh centuries BC, indicating its continuing administrative importance.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Solid; a stone, (2 Kings 19:12; Isa. 37:12), a fortress near Haran, probably on the west of the Euphrates, conquered by Sennacherib.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(a hot stone), one of the places which Sennacherib mentions, in his taunting message to Hezekiah, as having been destroyed by his predecessor. (2 Kings 19:12; Isaiah 37:12)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>re'-zef (retseph;</p><p>1. Forms of the Name:</p><p>Codex Vaticanus Rhapheis; Rhaphes; Codex Alexandrinus ten Rhapheth (2Ki 19:12), B Q margin Rhapheth Codex Sinaiticus Q Rhafes; Codex Alexandrinus Rhapheis (Isa 37:12); Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) Roseph (2Ki 19:12), Reseph (Isa 37:12)): One of the places referred to by Sennacherib's Rabshakeh when delivering that king's message to Hezekigh demanding the surrender of Jerusalem. The names which precede are Gozan and Haran; and "the children of Eden that were Telassar" follows.</p><p>2. Now Called Rucafa:</p><p>It is now represented by Rucafa, East of Tipsah and Northeast of Hamath, and is regarded as the (Rhesapha) of Ptolemy (v.15). It was for some time under Assyrian dominion, and appears in a geographical list (2 R 53, 37a) preceded by Arrapba (Arrapachitis) and Halabbu (Halah), and followed by Tamnunu, uder the form of Rasappa (elsewhere Racapi).</p><p>3. Its Assyrian Governors:</p><p>From the Eponym Canons, Ninip-kibsi-ucur was, it appears, prefect in 839 BC, Uras-eres from 804 to 775 BC, Sin-sallimanni in 747, and Bel-emuranni in 737 BC. Judging from their names, all these were Assyrians, but a seemingly native governor, Abda'u (or Abda'i), possibly later than the foregoina, is mentioned in a list of officials (K. 9921). Yabutu was sanu (deputy-governor?) of Rezeph in 673 BC. Its mention in the Assyrian geographical lists implies that Rezeph was an important trade-center in Old Testament times.</p><p>T. G. Pinches</p>