Uora. Between the two tells is a copious fountiin filling a large ancient reservoir, which for miles around is the chief watering-place of the Bedawin population of this region. A city at the base of which such a remarkable fountain existed would well derive its name from "the fountain," and its vicinity to Rimmon would justify both its distinct enumeration and its collective appellation.' SWP (iii. p. 397) confirms tliis, stating tliat Khan KhuweilJ'ch is an extensive ruin near Bir Khu- weilfeh. Caves, cisterns, broken pillars, shafts, and traces of walls are found. The ruins extend along the valley and on the higher ground. The well is large, lined with well-dressed stones, and resembling the Beersheba wells. The tell has an artificially-levelled platform, and seems to have formed a fortress. The water-supply is perennial. At Khan umm er-Rumdmtn there are heaps of well- dressed stones, many of which are drafted. Tliere are also several large lintel stones, and part of a stone apparently representing the seven-oranched candlestick. These remains probably belong to the Bj'zantine period (SWP iii. 398).
3. In Jos 19'^ one of the boundaries of Zebulnn is given as ' Rimmon that stretched to the Ne'ah ' (li'aC iNirpn P"! ; AV wTongly ' Remmon-methoar to Neah'). In 1 Ch 6^ [""'>• ''-J the name appears as Rimmono Ciirai), and in Jos 21^" as Riramonah (for which, by a textual error, MT has Dimnah [which see]). See Dillm. Joshua, ad loc.
Robinson proposes to identify Rimmon with the village of Rumm&tieh, north of Nazareth, and this site has since been accepted. Rummdneh is a small village built of stone, and containing about 70 Moslems. It is situated on a low ridge above the plain, and there are a few olive trees around. The water-supply is from cisterns and a well. There are rock-cut caves, and traces of ancient remains in the village (SWP i. 417).
C. Warren.
RIMMONO.— See Eimmon, No. 3.
RIMMON-PEREZ (AVRimmon-parez, following, with LXX and Vulg., the pausal form given in the MT of Nu SS"*-" P.9 pi ; LXX "Piiiiiwy ^dpes (also 'Po/i/iui' and 'Pe/x/xuS <I>. ), Vulg. RcminonpJuires). — One of the twelve camping places of the children of Israel, mentioned only in the itinerary of Nu 33, between Ilazeroth and Mo.seroth. Ewald identifies it with Rimmon in the south of Judah (Jos 15*'' etc. ), and some of the names following are referred by him to the same region. He thinks it probable that the Israelites made their way for some dis- tance into the southern part of the country, after- wards allotted to Judah and Simeon, and that in this portion of the itinerary a trace may be found of such a campaign ; cf. Nu H^il'"', and Hormah. The second part of the name may have been added in commemoration of a victory gained at this place, after the analogy of Baal-perazim.
A. T. Chapman.
RING (usually nu;; {ahbnath ; SaxruXios). — The rings of the tabernacle and its furniture are spoken of as having been cast (Ex 25'-"'), and this sense of moulding appears in the cognate Arabic taba'a ' to print,' mutba'ah ' printing press.' Rings are referred to in connexion with the boards for tlie corners of tlie tabernacle (Ex 26^) ; there are also rings through which bars pa.ss to keep in position the upright boards for the sides of the tabernacle (v."). Similarly, rings were attached to the ark of the covenant ('25'"), to the brazen altar ('27''"'), to the altar of incense (30*), and were used for fastening on the high priest's breastplate (28^).
In Est 1" and Ca 5'* ^'^y is translated ' rini;' in AV and RV, but a preferable rendering would be 'cylinder' or 'rod.' The 'rings' (d';;) of Ezk 1" are felloes (so RVm ; cf. 1 K 7**). In RV the more
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RING
KIVER
genernl term 'ring' is used instead of 'ear-ring' (en : see Ear-Rixg) in Gn 24-- 35^ Job 42", Ex 32-'. In Ezk 16'-, where KV gives 'ring* for 'jewel' of AV, the allusion niaj' be, not to a ring in the nose, but to the custom still prevailing among the Bedawin, in the case of a favourite child, of fastening an ornamental ring, jewel, or bead to a lock of hair over the brow and allowing it to dangle down as a protective charm nearly as far as the ejes. The ear-ring as worn by the Bedawin is about an inch and a half in diameter, and opens witli a hinge like a bracelet, so that when closed it clasps the outer ear. The hasty removal of such oi-naments is translated ' break off (piB) in Ex 32-. The ring (tabbdath) appears as an ornament in Is 3-', and as a gift for sacred purposes in Ex 35--, Nu 31™ (both P).
Signet-ring. — In closest connexion with the general meaning of 'ring' is the special sense of signet-ring: Gn 4I«, Est S'"- " 8-- n- ", in which tabbdath is the equivalent of cnin hotham in Gn 38's (in v.» n-nin), Ex 28"- ^^-^ 39«- '"•*', Jer 22*', Hag 2-^, Job 38" 41', Ca S"; Npiy 'hka in Dn 6" ; HaKTvXio^ in Lk 15^, and atppayi^ in Ko 4", 1 Co 9', Avoc, passim, etc. See art. Signet.
Both in biblical usage and in modern custom there are sever.al important meanings connected with the emploj-ment of signet-rings.