Baḥhurim

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BAḥHURIM

BAḥHURIM (Heb. בַּחֻרִים, בַּחוּרִים), a biblical locality southeast of Jerusalem to which *Paltiel accompanied Saul's daughter Michal when he was forced to return her to her former husband, David (i Sam. 25:44; ii Sam. 3:16). On his flight from Absalom, David passed Baḥurim after ascending the western slope of the Mount of Olives. He was cursed there by Shimei, son of Gera, a native of the place (ii Sam. 16:5ff.; i Kings 2:8). Jonathan and Ahimaaz, who acted as intermediaries between David and his secret supporters in Jerusalem, hid there in a well when they fell under suspicion (ii Sam. 17:18ff.). Its accepted identification is with Raʾs al-Tamīm on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, where Iron Age pottery has been found.

bibliography:

Voigt, in: aasor, 5 (1925), 67ff.; em, s.v.; Press, Ereẓ, 1 (1951), 65; Elliger, in: pjb, 31 (1935), 49ff., 70ff.

[Michael Avi-Yonah]