Damascus
דַּמֶּ֫שֶׂק · dam.me.seq · H1834Δαμασκηνός · Damaskēnos · G11531 other spelling“a sack full of blood; the similitude of burning” Hitchcock's 186955 mentions in 15 books, most in Acts (13)
Where it is
33.52° N, 36.31° E
Coordinates and map: OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding · CC BY 4.0 · drawn without map tiles
Mentioned most in
Counted from 55 references · STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
About this place
Damascus is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, serving as the capital of Syria. It is first mentioned in Genesis 14:15 in connection with Abraham's rescue of Lot. Later, David brought the city under Israelite control (2Sa.8.5-6), but it regained its independence during Solomon's reign (1Ki.11.24). Damascus was involved in conflicts with Israel and Judah, often aligning with their enemies (1Ki.15.18; 2Ki.16.9). The city was known for its beauty and prosperity, with references to its fertile gardens and bustling trade (Sng.7.4; Ezk.27.18). In the New Testament, Damascus is significant as the place of Paul's conversion on the road to the city (Act.9.1-19). The city played a crucial role in the early spread of Christianity, with Paul spending time there after his conversion (Galatians 1:17).
Article: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
Every mention
55 references, counted from STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 · verse text: World English Bible (public domain)
Genesis2 mentions
2 Samuel2 mentions
1 Kings4 mentions
1 Kings 11:24He gathered men to himself, and became captain over a troop, when David killed them of Zobah. They went to Damascus and lived there, and reigned in Damascus.1 Kings 15:18Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that was left in the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered it into the hand of his servants. Then King…1 Kings 19:15Yahweh said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.1 Kings 20:34Ben Hadad said to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I will restore. You shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.” “I”, said Ahab…
2 Kings8 mentions
2 Kings 5:12Aren’t Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.2 Kings 8:7Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick. He was told, “The man of God has come here.”2 Kings 8:9So Hazael went to meet him and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and stood before him and said, “Your son Benhadad king of Syria…2 Kings 14:28Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, for Israel, aren’t they…2 Kings 16:9The king of Assyria listened to him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus and took it, and carried its people captive to Kir, and killed Rezin.2 Kings 16:10King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar that was at Damascus; and King Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest a drawing of the altar and plans to…2 Kings 16:11Urijah the priest built an altar. According to all that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, so Urijah the priest made it for the coming of King Ahaz from Damascus.2 Kings 16:12When the king had come from Damascus, the king saw the altar; and the king came near to the altar, and offered on it.
1 Chronicles2 mentions
1 Chronicles 18:5When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck twenty-two thousand men of the Syrians.1 Chronicles 18:6Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.
2 Chronicles4 mentions
2 Chronicles 16:2Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of Yahweh’s house and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben Hadad king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying,2 Chronicles 24:23At the end of the year, the army of the Syrians came up against him. They came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all their…2 Chronicles 28:5Therefore Yahweh his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria. They struck him, and carried away from him a great multitude of captives, and brought them to Damascus. He was…2 Chronicles 28:23For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him. He said, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them, that they may help me.” But they…
Song of Solomon1 mention
Isaiah5 mentions
Isaiah 7:8For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim shall be broken in pieces, so that it shall not be a people.Isaiah 8:4For before the child knows how to say, ‘My father’ and ‘My mother,’ the riches of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried away by the king of Assyria.”Isaiah 10:9Isn’t Calno like Carchemish? Isn’t Hamath like Arpad? Isn’t Samaria like Damascus?”Isaiah 17:1The burden of Damascus. “Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap.Isaiah 17:3The fortress shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria. They will be as the glory of the children of Israel,” says Yahweh of Armies.
Jeremiah3 mentions
Jeremiah 49:23Of Damascus: “Hamath and Arpad are confounded, for they have heard evil news. They have melted away. There is sorrow on the sea. It can’t be quiet.Jeremiah 49:24Damascus has grown feeble, she turns herself to flee, and trembling has seized her. Anguish and sorrows have taken hold of her, as of a woman in travail.Jeremiah 49:27“I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it will devour the palaces of Ben Hadad.”
Ezekiel5 mentions
Ezekiel 27:18“‘“Damascus was your merchant for the multitude of your handiworks by reason of the multitude of all kinds of riches, with the wine of Helbon, and white wool.Ezekiel 47:16Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), to Hazer Hatticon, which is by the border of Hauran.Ezekiel 47:17The border from the sea shall be Hazar Enon at the border of Damascus; and on the north northward is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.Ezekiel 47:18“The east side, between Hauran, Damascus, Gilead, and the land of Israel, shall be the Jordan; from the north border to the east sea you shall measure. This is the east side.Ezekiel 48:1“Now these are the names of the tribes: From the north end, beside the way of Hethlon to the entrance of Hamath, Hazar Enan at the border of Damascus, northward beside Hamath (and they…
Amos3 mentions
Amos 1:3Yahweh says: “For three transgressions of Damascus, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron;Amos 1:5I will break the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the valley of Aven, and him who holds the scepter from the house of Eden; and the people of Syria shall go into captivity…Amos 5:27Therefore I will cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus,” says Yahweh, whose name is the God of Armies.
Acts13 mentions
Acts 9:2and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.Acts 9:3As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him.Acts 9:8Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.Acts 9:10Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” He said, “Behold, it’s me, Lord.”Acts 9:19He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus.Acts 9:22But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.Acts 9:27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly…Acts 22:5as also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to…Acts 22:6“As I made my journey and came close to Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky.Acts 22:10I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to do.’Acts 22:11When I couldn’t see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.Acts 26:12“Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,Acts 26:20but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of…
2 Corinthians1 mention
What the dictionary says
Activity, the most ancient of Oriental cities; the capital of Syria (Isa. 7:8; 17:3); situated about 133 miles to the north of Jerusalem.
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Read the article →Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding · CC BY 4.0 · www.openbible.info/geo/
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain