RABA
“big”.
Main city of the Ammonites located in the valley, about 35 km east of the Jordan, 22 and a half km northeast of Heshbon and 30 and a half southeast of Ramoth Gilead. Today Es-Salt.
Having been conquered by David, the Ammonites gained their independence and on several occasions usurped the legitimate possessions of Israel, gloried in the desolation of both kingdoms and mistreated those who fell into their power. That is why severe judgments were predicted against Rabbah (Am. 1:13-15; Jer. 49:1-3; Ez. 25:1-5).
Greek and Roman writers speak of it as Philadelphia. There the caravans were supplied with water before crossing the Arabian Desert.
In New Testament times it was a city of the Decapolis and retained its importance until the 4th century, when it was the seat of a Christian church. In the Muslim conquest of Syria it was already in ruins, having suffered greatly from the earthquakes.