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ITURAEA

(Gk. Itouraía)

An area of the Beqaʿ Valley of southern Lebanon which came under the jurisdiction of the Tetrarch Philip, son of Herod the Great, after the latter’s death in 4 b.c.e. (Luke 3:1). The name derives from that of an Arab tribe of north Transjordan that settled in the Beqaʿ Valley during the latter part of the 2nd century. Several Safaitic inscriptions support this migration, which has been linked to the period of the Hasmonean ruler Aristobulus (104) who forced the Ituraeans, then located in Transjordan and Galilee, to convert to Judaism (Josephus Ant. 13.3.318). After migrating north to escape Aristobulus and his policies, the Ituraeans were able to maintain control over the area of Lake Huleh and Paneas (Caesarea Philippi).

After a relatively brief period of independence as a principality under the tribal leader Ptolemaios (85-40 b.c.e.), the area of Ituraea came under Roman control when, in 64/63, Pompey conquered the area and imposed a tribute on Ptolemaios. Lysanias (40-36), son of Ptolemaios, allied himself with the Parthians in 40 after they occupied Palestine, but the area soon reverted back to Rome and eventually became the possession of Herod the Great in 20 b.c.e.

The Ituraeans are listed among the offspring of Ishmael in Gen. 25:15; 1 Chr. 1:31, where Jetur is identified as their eponymous ancestor. 1 Chr. 5:18-22 recounts the events of a battle in which Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh attack and defeat the Hagarites, Jetur, Japhish, and Nodab.

John Kaltner

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ITURAEA

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)