Korazin

KORAZIN (kō-rā'zĭn). Modern Khirbet Kerǎzeh, ruins about two miles (three km.) north of Tell hǔm, the site of Capernaum. Korazin is mentioned only in the woes Christ pronounced on it (Matt.11.21; Luke.10.13). His condemnation of this town, together with Bethsaida and Capernaum, indicates that it must have been an important center. It was no longer inhabited by the time of Eusebius (the latter half of the third century). Only a few carved stones remain today.

Little is known of the town. The site is prob. that of Khirbet Kerazeh, two m. N of Capernaum. This agrees with evidence provided by Eusebius (Onomasticon, 174) and Jerome (Onomasticon 175; The Sites and Names of Hebrew Places, 194; but cf. Commentary on Isa, 3). Khirbet Kerazeh is high above Capernaum on the basalt hills and evidence from the ruins indicates that it was inhabited as early as the later Stone Age. The Talmud mentions the town under the name Kerazim as being famous for its quality of wheat (Menahoth, 85a). A synagogue built of the black volcanic rock of the area forms part of the ruins. It was not as impressive as the synagogue in Capernaum (q.v.), however. Also among the ruins was a carved stone seat with an Aram. inscr. in honor of the donor. This may well be an example of “Moses’ seat” (see Matt 23:2). Eusebius indicates that the city had died out by his times (in loc.).

Bibliography

F.—M. Abel, Géographie de la Palestine, II (1938), 154, 299, 300; C. Kopp, The Holy Places of the Gospels (1963), 187-189.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

A city whose name appears only in the woe pronounced against it by Christ (Mt 11:21; Lu 10:13). Its appearance there, however, shows that it must have been a place of some importance, and highly privileged by the ministry of Jesus. It was already deserted in the time of Eusebius, who places it 2 miles from Capernaum (Onomasticon, under the word). We can hardly doubt that it is represented by the extensive ruins of Kerazeh, on the heights to the north of Tell Chum. It is utterly desolate: a few carved stones being seen among the heaps. There are traces of a Roman road which connected the ancient city with the great highway between north and south which touched the lake shore at Khan Minyeh. W. Ewing