CHORAZIN kō rā’ zĭn (Χοραζιν, Χοραζειν, Χωραζιν). A town situated near the Sea of Galilee, denounced by Jesus, and mentioned in the Bible only twice (Matt 11:21 and Luke 10:13).

Little is known of the town. The site is prob. that of Khirbet Kerazeh, two m. N of Capernaum. This agrees with evidence provided by Eusebius (Onomasticon, 174) and Jerome (Onomasticon 175; The Sites and Names of Hebrew Places, 194; but cf. Commentary on Isa, 3). Khirbet Kerazeh is high above Capernaum on the basalt hills and evidence from the ruins indicates that it was inhabited as early as the later Stone Age. The Talmud mentions the town under the name Kerazim as being famous for its quality of wheat (Menahoth, 85a). A synagogue built of the black volcanic rock of the area forms part of the ruins. It was not as impressive as the synagogue in Capernaum (q.v.), however. Also among the ruins was a carved stone seat with an Aram. inscr. in honor of the donor. This may well be an example of “Moses’ seat” (see Matt 23:2). Eusebius indicates that the city had died out by his times (in loc.).

Bibliography F.—M. Abel, Géographie de la Palestine, II (1938), 154, 299, 300; C. Kopp, The Holy Places of the Gospels (1963), 187-189.