Hadrach

Hadrach was a region mentioned in a prophetic oracle of judgment, possibly located in Syria (Zechariah 9:1).

Hadrach is a place name that appears in a prophetic oracle in the book of Zechariah. In the oracle, the word of the Lord is described as being against the land of Hadrach and resting upon Damascus (Zechariah 9:1). The oracle goes on to pronounce judgment against various cities and regions, including Hamath, Tyre, and Sidon. The exact location and identity of Hadrach are uncertain, as it is not mentioned in any other biblical passages or in known extra-biblical sources from the time. Some scholars suggest that Hadrach may have been a region or city located in Syria, possibly in the vicinity of Damascus, based on the context of the prophetic oracle and the other places mentioned alongside it. However, this identification remains speculative due to the lack of corroborating evidence. The mention of Hadrach in Zechariah's prophecy suggests that it was a significant place in the geopolitical landscape of the time and that it was subject to God's judgment along with other nations and cities that opposed His people.

The name of a country (Zech. 9:1) which cannot be identified. Rawlinson would identify it with Edessa. He mentions that in the Assyrian inscriptions it is recorded that “Shalmanezer III. made two expeditions, the first against Damascus B.C. 773, and the second against Hadrach B.C. 772; and again that Asshurdanin-il II. made expeditions against Hadrach in B.C. 765 and 755.”