Places in the Bible Today:

Ahava

Data

Translated NamesAhava, Ahava Canal, Ahava River
Typescanal or settlement
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

5 Possible Identifications

  1. within 250 km of Babylon 1 (ancient): 75% confidence
    1. Ishtar gate from Babylonwithin 250 km of Babylon

  2. Hit (modern): less than 10% confidence
    1. cityscape of HitHit

  3. Opis (modern): less than 10% confidence
    1. satellite view of the region around OpisOpis

  4. Tell Ishnayt (modern): less than 10% confidence
    1. satellite view of the region around Tell IshnaytTell Ishnayt

  5. Mesčin (modern): less than 10% confidence
    1. satellite view of the region around MesčinMesčin

Verses (3)

Ezra 8:15, 8:21, 8:31

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Logos FactbookAhava
OpenBible.info (2007)Ahava
OpenBible.infoa6c3859 (Ahava)
TIPNRAhava@Ezr.8.15
UBS Names Databaseot ID_89
WikipediaAhava (Bible) (redirect)

Sources

  1. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Ahava (place)
  2. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Ahava
  3. Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (1993): Ezra 8:15
  4. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Ahava
  5. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1984): Ezra 8:15
  6. Fensham, Ezra and Nehemiah (1982): Ezra 8:15
  7. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Ahava
  8. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2003)
  9. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Ahava
  10. IVP Old Testament Bible Background Commentary (2000): Ezra 8:15
  11. New Bible Dictionary (1996): Ahava
  12. New Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary (2009)
  13. Williamson, Ezra, Nehemiah (1985): Ezra 8:15
  14. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others (in this case, within 250 km of Babylon 1), then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

Radomir Vrbovsky, Boykinspanieling, Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2019

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.