Umm Tuba
Encyclopedia
31°44′N 35°14′E
Umm Tuba is an Arab neighborhood in East Jerusalem
near Sur Baher
, northeast of Bethlehem
, with a population of 4,000. After the 1967 Six-Day War
, Umm Tuba was incorporated into the municipal district of Jerusalem. Based on archaeological finds, Umm Tuba was the site of the biblical city of Netofa (Netophah).
's heroes originated (2 Samuel 23:28-29).
, King of Judah
(eighth century BCE). At least two "LMLK" (belonging to the King) impressions
and two personal seal impressions were discovered on handles of large jars of the type used to store wine and olive oil. Artifacts dating to the Hasmonean
period and remnants of a Byzantine
-era monastery have also been found.
In 1596, Umm Tuba appeared in Ottoman tax registers as being in the Nahiya of Quds of the Liwa
of Quds. It had a population of 36 Muslim households and paid taxes on wheat, barley, olives, vines or fruit trees, and goats or beehives.
Fifty-six men from Netofa are recorded at the census
of men of Israel
upon return from exile (Ezra
2:22). In (Nehemiah
7:27,) they are counted together with the men of Bethlehem: The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, an hundred fourscore and eight.
Umm Tuba is an Arab neighborhood in East Jerusalem
East Jerusalem
East Jerusalem or Eastern Jerusalem refer to the parts of Jerusalem captured and annexed by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and then captured and annexed by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War...
near Sur Baher
Sur Baher
Sur Baher is an Arab neighborhood on the southeastern outskirts of Jerusalem. It is located southeast of Talpiot and north of the Har Homa neighborhood, down the hill from Kibbutz Ramat Rachel...
, northeast of Bethlehem
Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
, with a population of 4,000. After the 1967 Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
, Umm Tuba was incorporated into the municipal district of Jerusalem. Based on archaeological finds, Umm Tuba was the site of the biblical city of Netofa (Netophah).
Etymology
The name of the Arab village, "Umm Tuba," is derived from the Byzantine era name, "Metofa," itself a derivation of the ancient Hebrew name Netofa. Netofa is mentioned in the Bible as the place from which two of King DavidDavid
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
's heroes originated (2 Samuel 23:28-29).
Early history
Netofa was a prosperous Judean farming village in the period of the First Temple. An archaeological dig uncovered at least three royal seal impressions dating from the reign of HezekiahHezekiah
Hezekiah was the son of Ahaz and the 14th king of Judah. Edwin Thiele has concluded that his reign was between c. 715 and 686 BC. He is also one of the most prominent kings of Judah mentioned in the Hebrew Bible....
, King of Judah
Kingdom of Judah
The Kingdom of Judah was a Jewish state established in the Southern Levant during the Iron Age. It is often referred to as the "Southern Kingdom" to distinguish it from the northern Kingdom of Israel....
(eighth century BCE). At least two "LMLK" (belonging to the King) impressions
LMLK seal
LMLK seals were stamped on the handles of large storage jars mostly in and around Jerusalem during the reign of King Hezekiah based on several complete jars found in situ buried under a destruction layer caused by Sennacherib at Lachish...
and two personal seal impressions were discovered on handles of large jars of the type used to store wine and olive oil. Artifacts dating to the Hasmonean
Hasmonean
The Hasmonean dynasty , was the ruling dynasty of Judea and surrounding regions during classical antiquity. Between c. 140 and c. 116 BCE, the dynasty ruled semi-autonomously from the Seleucids in the region of Judea...
period and remnants of a Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
-era monastery have also been found.
In 1596, Umm Tuba appeared in Ottoman tax registers as being in the Nahiya of Quds of the Liwa
Liwa (arabic)
Liwa or Liwa is an Arabic term meaning district, banner, or flag, a type of administrative division. It was interchangeable with the Turkish term "Sanjak" in the time of the Ottoman Empire. After the fall of the empire, the term was used in the Arab countries formerly under Ottoman rule...
of Quds. It had a population of 36 Muslim households and paid taxes on wheat, barley, olives, vines or fruit trees, and goats or beehives.
Biblical references
Two of King David's heroes came from Netofa (2 Samuel 23:28-29).Fifty-six men from Netofa are recorded at the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of men of Israel
Israelite
According to the Bible the Israelites were a Hebrew-speaking people of the Ancient Near East who inhabited the Land of Canaan during the monarchic period .The word "Israelite" derives from the Biblical Hebrew ישראל...
upon return from exile (Ezra
Book of Ezra
The Book of Ezra is a book of the Hebrew Bible. Originally combined with the Book of Nehemiah in a single book of Ezra-Nehemiah, the two became separated in the early centuries of the Christian era...
2:22). In (Nehemiah
Nehemiah
Nehemiah ]]," Standard Hebrew Nəḥemya, Tiberian Hebrew Nəḥemyāh) is the central figure of the Book of Nehemiah, which describes his work rebuilding Jerusalem and purifying the Jewish community. He was the son of Hachaliah, Nehemiah ]]," Standard Hebrew Nəḥemya, Tiberian Hebrew Nəḥemyāh) is the...
7:27,) they are counted together with the men of Bethlehem: The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, an hundred fourscore and eight.