Place Old Testament
Carchemish
Carchemish was an ancient city on the Euphrates River where the Babylonians decisively defeated the Egyptians. Mentioned in 3 verses across 3 books, first at 2 Chronicles 35:20.
Why it matters. Ancient city; site of Babylonian victory over Egypt
- Primary passages
- Location
- 36.829, 38.016 (approximate, within about 2 km)
Coordinates from STEPBible TIPNR (palopenmaps.org link). Approximate; not independently verified.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Carchemish
Carchemish was an important ancient city located on the Euphrates River, near the modern border between Syria and Turkey. It is mentioned three times in the Bible, all in the context of significant historical events. In 2Ch.35.20, King Josiah of Judah confronted Pharaoh Necho of Egypt at Carchemish, resulting in Josiah's death.
Isaiah 10:9 mentions Carchemish as one of the cities conquered by the Assyrians, along with Calno, Arpad, Hamath, and Samaria, illustrating the extent of Assyrian power. In Jeremiah 46:2, the prophet describes the decisive battle at Carchemish between the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar and the Egyptians in 605 BC. The Babylonian victory marked the end of Egyptian influence in the region and the beginning of Babylonian supremacy.
Archaeologically, Carchemish has been identified with the modern site of Karkamış in southeastern Turkey. Excavations have revealed a rich history dating back to the Hittite Empire, with the city serving as an important center of trade and military power in the region.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
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Appears in Scripture
Named in 3 verses across 3 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.