RIMMON

(Rimʹmon) [Pomegranate Tree].

1. The Benjamite father of Baanah and Rechab, the murderers of Saul’s son Ish-bosheth; from Beeroth N of Gibeah.​—2Sa 4:2, 5-7, 9.

2. A city of the tribe of Simeon in the area surrounded by the tribe of Judah. (Jos 19:1, 2, 7; “Remmon,” KJ) It is listed after the city of Ain, and apparently En-rimmon at Nehemiah 11:29 is a combined form to designate the twin cities. It is mentioned as a southern point in Zechariah 14:10. The ruins of a place called Khirbet Umm er-Ramamin (Horvat Remalya), about 15 km (9 mi) N of Beer-sheba, are thought to be the ancient site.

3. A Levite enclave city of the Merari family on the E border of the land of Zebulun (Jos 19:10, 13); evidently called “Dimnah” at Joshua 21:35 and “Rimmono” at 1 Chronicles 6:77. It is identified with Rummana (Rimmon), about 10 km (6 mi) N of Nazareth.

4. A craglike eminence to which 600 men of the tribe of Benjamin retreated as survivors of the battle near Gibeah, in which all Israel rose up against the Benjamites to avenge the rape and murder of the concubine of a Levite. (Jg 20:45-47) They remained there until approached by peace envoys. (Jg 21:13) Located about 6 km (3.5 mi) E of Bethel and 18 km (11 mi) NNE of Jerusalem, the former stronghold today is known as Rammun, where a small village is located. There is a cone-shaped limestone mountain there, protected on three sides by ravines and containing numerous caves.

5. A Syrian god. The Syrian army chief Naaman, after being cured of his leprosy, acknowledged Jehovah as the true God but expressed concern over his having to accompany the king of Syria into the temple of Rimmon and there bow down with the king before the idol of Rimmon, as the king would be leaning upon Naaman’s arm.​—2Ki 5:15-18.

Rimmon is generally identified with Ramman (meaning “Roarer, Thunderer”), a god known to have been venerated in Assyria and Babylonia. It has been suggested that the worship of Rimmon (Ramman) was brought westward from Assyria by some of the tribes that later settled around Damascus. A number of scholars regard Rimmon (Ramman) as but a title of the storm-god Hadad (Adad). The fact that Tabrimmon and Ben-hadad were names of Syrian kings suggests a basis for equating Rimmon with Hadad, since these kings likely bore the name or title of their chief god.​—1Ki 15:18.

The Rimmon venerated in Syria undoubtedly had much in common with Ramman. To the Assyrians, the latter was primarily a god of storm and thunder. Although regarded as the giver of rain and hence the provider of water for wells and fields, Ramman is associated more prominently with the destructive aspects of rain and lightning. On the Assyrian monuments Ramman is portrayed repeatedly as a god of war. He was regarded as such also in Babylonia, where Ramman, the moon-god Sin, and the sun-god Shamash constituted one of numerous triads.