Zemaraim

Zemaraim is a place name mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. It appears in the Book of Joshua and the First Book of Chronicles. In Joshua 18:22, Zemaraim is listed as one of the cities belonging to the tribe of Benjamin. It is situated in the hill country of Ephraim. The name is also found in 1 Chronicles 6:60, again associated with the Levitical city assigned to the sons of Merari, a division of the Levites.

The exact location of ancient Zemaraim is not definitively known. However, it is generally identified with the modern-day Palestinian village of Sumra, located a few kilometers northeast of Jerusalem in the West Bank. Archaeological evidence and geographical proximity support this identification. The name itself, "Zemaraim," likely derives from the Hebrew word "tzemer," meaning wool, possibly indicating a historical connection to sheep herding or wool production in the region. The biblical context places Zemaraim within the territory allocated to the tribe of Benjamin, a significant portion of which was situated north of Jerusalem. Its mention as a Levitical city further underscores its importance within the ancient Israelite settlement patterns.