Scholars are uncertain if this is the name of two different towns located in the same general area or a single town. The first mention of Riblah is found in Num 34:11, where it served to mark the eastern boundary of the idealized land Israel was to occupy.
Riblah is mentioned again as a town on the route from Egypt to the Euphrates which the Egyptian king Neco chose as a temporary base after he had killed King Joisah at the battle of Megiddo, and from which he then ordered the deposition of Jehoahaz and his replacement by the puppet Jehoiakim on the Judean throne.
Four years later, in 605 BC, Nebuchadnezzar also chose Riblah—after he had defeated Neco at Carchemish and Hamath—from which to direct his operations against Judah, turning it into a Babylonian vassal. Twenty years later, after Judah had, for a second time, revolted against Babylon, Zedekiah was captured and brought to Riblah, where he as forced to watch his sons executed and he himself was then blinded and taken away to prison (2 Ki 25:7)
CONCORDANCE (NIV)
Num 34:11 — The boundary will go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain and continue along the slopes east of the Sea of Kinnereth.
2 Ki 23:33 — Pharaoh Neco put him [Jehoahaz] in chains at Riblah in the land of Hamath so that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and he imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
2 Ki 25:6 — but the Babylonian army pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered, and he was captured. He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where sentence was pronounced on him. They killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.
2 Ki 25:20 & 21 — Nebuzaradan the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. There at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed. So Judah went into captivity, away from her land.
Jer 39:5 & 6 — But the Babylonian army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles of Judah. Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.
Jer 52:9 & 10 — . . . he [Zedekiah] was captured. He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also killed all the officials of Judah. Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon,
Jer 52:26 & 27 — Nebuzaradan the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. There at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed. So Judah went into captivity, away from her land.
©ALBERITH