CAPERNAUM, ka -p?enti (Gk.Kan-epvaniv, Kapernaoum, Kagapvaap, Kapharnaount, I Feb. Kaphar Nahum, village of Nahum). A town of Galilee frequently mentioned in the gospel his tory. When Jesus was driven out of Nazareth at the opening of his Galilean ministry he made his home at Capernaum (Matt. iv. 13). So closely did he identify himself with it that it is called 'his own city' (Matt. ix. 1). Though it was the scene of many of his miracles and wonderful discourses, it remained unrepentant. With Chorazin and Bethsaida it had its ruin foretold by Jesus (Matt. xi. 20-24). The place was a city of some impor tance. It had a synagogue (Luke iv. 31-32), was the seat of a Roman garrison (Luke vii. 1), and a customs station from which Matthew was called to be an Apostle (Matt. ix. 9). There has been much discussion as to the site of Caper naum, as the city is mentioned only in the New Testament. The original form of the name was
Eaphar Nahum, i.e. 'Village of \ahuin."Bwo lo calities are favored by authorities—Tell Hum and Khan Minyeli, both on the northwest coast of the Sea of Galilee, not far distant from each other. At Tell llum many extensive ruins have been found, some of which have been supposed to be those of the synagogue in which Jesus taught. The situation of Khan Minyeb, however, corre sponds better to the New Testament notices and to the statement of Josephus (Wars, iii. 10-8) that a copious spring named Capernaum watered the plain of Gennesaret. Consult, in behalf of the claims of Tell Ilunl, Buhl, Die Geographic dcs alten Puuiisfina (Freiburg, 1890 ; for Khan _II in yell, (1. A. Smith, The Historical Geography of the Holy Land (New York, 1895).