Halah (Hebrew: חֲלַח, romanized: Ḥălạḥ; Latin: Hala) is a city that is mentioned in the Bible in 2 Kings 17:6 and in 1 Chronicles 5:26.1 Modern historians are unsure of its location.23
When Tiglath Pileser III and later Sargon II invaded the Kingdom of Israel, the Israelites were taken captive from Gilead and Samaria respectively and resettled in Halah and Gozan on the Khabur River in the Aram-Naharaim region, as well as in the towns of the Medes.
The name should not be confused with the Assyrian city of Calah nor with Cilicia (Khilikku or Khilakku, in Assyrian) in Asia Minor, but is considered to be identical with the location near Gozan referred to as Chalcitis by Ptolemy.
References
References
- Bible Gateway website, 1 Chronicles 5:26, So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria), who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan, where they are to this day.
- Schneider, Tammi (1 January 2002). "Through Assyria's Eyes: Israel's Relationship with Judah". CGU Faculty Publications and Research: 13–14. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
- "Halah". McClintock and Strong Biblical Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2024-04-04.