Zemaraim

Zemaraim is the name of two biblical sites. (1.) A town in the territory of Benjamin (Joshua 18:22), possibly identified with es-Sumra, northeast of Jericho. (2.) Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim, the site of a confrontation between King Abijah of Judah and Jeroboam I of Israel (2 Chronicles 13:4). From this mount Abijah addressed the combined forces of both kingdoms before battle, rebuking Jeroboam for rebelling against the Davidic house and for introducing golden calves. Despite being outnumbered, Judah won a decisive victory because, as the text explains, Judah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers (2 Chronicles 13:18).