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What is Capernaum?
        CAPER'NAUM
        (town of Nahum), a city of great interest as the home of Jesus after he left Nazareth. Though it fills a large place in the gospel narrative, it is not once mentioned in O.T. history, nor in any portion of the Bible except the four Gospels. It is called Christ's "own city," Matt 9:1, and it was the scene of some of his most remarkable miracles, labors, and discourses. Matt 8:5-14; 2 Cor 9:2; Matt 17:24; John 6:17-59;Deut 4:46, etc. Much exploration, study, and discussion have been given to determine its true site, but the question is still unsettled. The gospel narrative throws some general, though not very definite, light upon the location of this lost city. It was (1) a city of Galilee, Luke 4:31; (2) by the lake-coast. Matt 4:13; John 6:17, Jud 6:24; (3) with collectors of customs, and probably a custom-house, Matt 17:24; Mark 2:1, 2 Kgs 22:14; Luke 5:27 compared with Matt 9:1,Gal 1:9; (4) it had a noted synagogue, built by a Roman centurion, Matt 8:5; Mark 1:21; Luke 7:1,1 Chr 6:5; (5) it was joined with Chorazin and Bethsaida in the woes pronounced upon them by Christ, and its complete destruction was predicted. Matt 11:20-23; Luke 10:13-15; (6) it has been inferred also from the Scriptures that Capernaum was in the land of Gennesaret, but this is not certain. Comp. Matt 14:34 with John 6:16-17, John 6:24-25. These indicate that the city was on the west side of the Sea of Galilee, and near its northern end. Two places have been mainly urged as marking the site of ancient Capernaum:(1) Khan Minyeh, supported by Robinson (1852), Macgregor (1864), Porter (1875), Kiepert, Sepp, and by members of the recent British and American Palestine Exploration Societies (Kitchener and Merrill); (2) Tell Hum, maintained by Dr. Wilson, Major Wilson, W. M. Thomson, Stanley, Hepworth Dixon, Ritter, Baedeker, Delitzsch, Plumptre, Schaff, and others. Tell Hum is a ruin near the Sea of Galilee, about two miles south-west of where the river Jordan enters the sea. Khan Minyeh is a Saracen inn on the northern extremity of the plain of Gennesaret (el-Gkuweir), about 5 miles south-west of the mouth of the Jordan and 2 1/2 to 3 miles below Tell Hum, and situated near the lake. Several other places have been suggested:as Ain Mudaumrah, once urged, but afterward abandoned, by Tristram, and ruins near Bethsaida Julias; but their claims are generally regarded as not well supported. The argument from tradition is divided between Khan Minyeh, and Tell Hum, but prevailingly in favor of Tell Hum. Conder (Tent Work in Palestine, ii. 182) claims Jewish and Arab tradition for Khan Minyeh, but Dr. Thomson and Furrer claim it decidedly for Tell Hum. The arguments for Khan Minyeh, briefly stated, are: (1) It is near the Gennesaret, from Khan Minyeh. (From a Photograph taken for the Palestine Exploration Fund.) sea-shore, while Tell Hum is at some distance from the shore; (2) it is in the land of Gennesaret, if Gennesaret is identical with el-Ghuweir; (3) it is well located for a custom-house, on the highway from Jerusalem to Damascus. The arguments in support of Tell Hum mainly are; (1) The extensive ruins, covering a space half a mile long by a quarter of a mile wide, indicate a large city like Capernaum; (2) the ruins of a large synagogue have been discovered there; (3) when Christ crossed the lake from Capernaum, Mark 6:33, the crowd ran around the end of the lake to meet him; and it is claimed that Tell Hum is more likely, therefore, to have been his starting-point than Khan Minyeh; (4:) Josephus, wounded on the plain of Batikha, at the north end of the lake, was carried to Capernaum, most likely the nearest place -- not, therefore, at Khan Minyeh, but Tell Ham; (5) historical narratives of the sixth and seventh centuries and the Jewish and Arab tradition appear to favor Tell Hum as Capernaum; (6) the identity of name, for Capernaum means " the village" (Kefe or Kafr) "of Nahum," and Tell Hum means "the mound or ruins of Hum" -- i. e. Nahum. The strongest argument against Khan Minyeh is the absence of ruins of sufficient importance to indicate a city of the size of Capernaum. The English Survey party in 1866 dug up at Khan Minyeh chiefly fragments of pottery; Kitchener in 1877 examined the more extensive excavations, bringing to light what appeared to him to be a wall of squared stones. Robinson conjectures that the ruins of Capernaum were transported to Tiberias,but Tiberias was already built when Capernaum was in its prosperity. Those who place Capernaum at Khan Minyeh usually locate Chorazin at Tell Hum and Bethsaida at Et-Tabigkah. This theory leaves the important ruins at Kerazeh to be explained. As the latter cannot be ignored, they form a strong objection to Khan Minyeh. If, however, Capernaum was at Tell Hum, then Chorazin was doubtless at Kerazeh, and no important ruins remain unexplained. At present, therefore, the arguments are strongly in favor of Tell Hum, but a final decision of the question must wait further excavations. The explorations of the English society organized in 1878-1879 for the purpose of determining the sites of the three cities may furnish information for the satisfactory settlement of this question. Ruins at Tell Hum. -- The most remarkable ruin at Tell Hum is that of a Jewish synagogue. Around this, and up the slope behind it, are the remains of an ancient town; the walls of many private houses can be traced, and the appearance of a main street leading toward ancient Chorazin. The synagogue was about 75 feet long by 58 feet wide; its walls were built of hard white limestone, almost marble, resting on basaltic rock. Portions of columns, pedestals, capitals of the Corinthian order, and blocks of stone have been uncovered on its site, and on the lintel of a door a representation of the pot of manna was discovered, recalling the words of Jesus: "Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead." John 6:49. If Tell Hum is Capernaum, then this synagogue was doubtless the one which Ruins at Tell Hum. (From a Photograph. Palestine Exploration Fund.) the pious Roman centurion built, Luke 7:1-10, and in which Jesus taught. North of the town are two tombs, one built under ground of limestone blocks after the hard basaltic rock had been cut away; the other above ground and whitewashed within and without, as in our Lord's day. Matt 23:27. The road from Khan Minyeh to Tell Hum now leads over the rocks at some height above the lake. It is a narrow path, more like an ancient conduit than a road. From this height the view extends to Tiberias. A short distance from Khan Minyeh by the seashore is Ain et-Tin, or ''Fig Spring" (which Dr. Robinson erroneously identified with the spring "Kapharnaum," mentioned by Josephus). A mile farther north is the charming bay Et-Tabigkah, by which some locate western Bethsaida, but at which, more probably, was the suburb and harbor of Capernaum; here is a very copious fountain abounding in fish (probably the "Kapharnaum " of Josephus), and a large stream which turns a mill and once watered, through an aqueduct, the plain of Gennesaret. The road from Et-Tabigkah continues northward along the bank, on which several springs and the remains of buildings are to be seen, until it reaches Tell Hum. From thence northward to Kerazeh, probably Choraziri, is about 2 miles, and there are traces of a paved road which connected the city with the great caravan-road to Damascus. Following the shore of the lake to the north-west about 2 miles, where the Jordan empties into the Sea of Galilee, is Abu Zuny, which Dr. Thomson regards as Bethsaida, the birthplace of Peter and Andrew. The ruin of all these cities has been so complete as to render their very sites doubtful, and strikingly to remind us of the fearful prediction of our Lord concerning them. Matt 11:21-23.


Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'capernaum' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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