Bible Location

Admah

Admah was one of the ancient Cities of the Plain associated in Genesis with Sodom, Gomorrah, Zeboiim, and Bela, later called Zoar. Genesis 14 identifies Shinab as the king of Admah and describes the city as a participant in the conflict between the kings of the Cities of the Plain and an alliance of eastern rulers.

Although Genesis 19 concentrates its narrative on Sodom and Gomorrah, later biblical passages make clear that Admah shared in the catastrophic destruction of the cities of the region. Deuteronomy names Admah together with Sodom, Gomorrah, and Zeboiim as examples of devastating divine judgment.

The exact location of Admah has not been securely identified. It is generally sought somewhere in the region of the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea associated with the biblical Cities of the Plain, but several different archaeological and geographical identifications have been proposed.

Biblical Significance

Admah first appears in Genesis 10:19 as a landmark associated with the territory of the Canaanites. Genesis 14 subsequently names Shinab, king of Admah, among the rulers of the Cities of the Plain who rebelled against Chedorlaomer and his allies. The resulting battle took place in the Valley of Siddim.

Admah later became a biblical symbol of divine judgment. Deuteronomy 29:23 recalls the overthrow of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim as an image of the devastation that covenant unfaithfulness could bring upon Israel.

Hosea 11:8 uses the memory of Admah in a particularly striking way. As judgment threatens Israel, God asks how He could make Ephraim like Admah or Israel like Zeboiim. The passage then turns toward divine compassion. Admah thus functions not only as a remembered city destroyed in judgment but also as part of a prophetic contrast between deserved judgment and God's mercy toward His people.

Historical Background

Admah belonged to the group conventionally called the Cities of the Plain. Genesis 14 places these cities in association with the Valley of Siddim and describes them as a coalition of small kingdoms, each ruled by its own king. Their setting is connected with the lower Jordan Valley and Dead Sea region.

Attempts to correlate the biblical cities with archaeological sites have produced several competing theories. Excavations at Early Bronze Age sites east and southeast of the Dead Sea, including Bab edh-Dhra and Numeira, have played an important role in discussions of the Cities of the Plain. Other proposals place the cities farther north in the Jordan Valley.

No archaeological inscription or other discovery has securely identified a site as Admah. Consequently, archaeological evidence from the broader region can illuminate the ancient settlement history of the Cities of the Plain, but it should not be presented as proof that a particular excavated settlement was Admah.

Modern Identification

The modern location of Admah remains uncertain. The biblical descriptions associate it with the Cities of the Plain and the Valley of Siddim, tying it broadly to the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea region, but they do not provide enough information to identify a particular archaeological site with confidence.

Proposed identifications have included sites or regions both north and southeast of the Dead Sea. Suggestions have included Tell ed-Damiyeh, Tall Nimrin, Khirbat al-Khanazir, and locations associated with the Early Bronze Age settlements southeast of the Dead Sea. None has gained sufficiently strong evidence to be regarded as a secure identification.

For purposes of biblical geography, Admah is therefore best shown as an uncertain location associated with the Cities of the Plain rather than assigned to a precise modern site. Any map marker should be understood as approximate or representative unless the map explicitly indicates the uncertainty.

Scripture References

Genesis 10:19

Related Resources

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Sources

Bible: Genesis 10:19, Genesis 14:2-8, Deuteronomy 29:23, Hosea 11:8; Encyclopedia of the Bible: Admah; Lexham Bible Dictionary: Admah and Cities of the Plain; OpenBible.info Biblical Geography: Admah; Holman Bible Dictionary: Cities of the Plain