- Abel:
- Or rather, probably, Abel of Beth-Maachah, as in the next verse. It appears, from Joab having marched "through all the tribes of Israel," to have been situated in the northern confines of the land of Israel, and in the half tribe of Manasseh, east of Jordan, as that was the situation of Maachah, to which it belonged. This agrees with the situation of the Abila which Eusebius and Jerome place between Paneas, or Cesarea Philippi, and Damascus. Josephus says it was a fortified city, and a metropolis of the Israelites; and also that it belonged to the ten tribes, having been taken from the king of Damascus. "So Benhadadª hearkenedª° unto¹ kingª Asa,ª and sentª°¹ the captainsª of the hostsª which¹ he had against¹ the citiesª of Israel,ª and smoteª°¹ Ijon,ª and Dan,ª and Abelbethmaachah,ª and all¹ Cinneroth,ª with¹ all¹ the landª of Naphtali.ª" {1Kg 15:20} + "In the daysª of Pekahª kingª of Israelª cameª° Tiglathpileserª kingª of Assyria,ª and tookª°¹ Ijon,ª and Abelbethmaachah,ª and Janoah,ª and Kedesh,ª and Hazor,ª and Gilead,ª and Galilee,ª all¹ the landª of Naphtali,ª and carried them captiveª° to Assyria.ª" {2Kg 15:29} + "And Benhadadª hearkenedª° unto¹ kingª Asa,ª and sentª°¹ the captainsª of his¹ armiesª against¹ the citiesª of Israel;ª and they smoteª°¹ Ijon,ª and Dan,ª and Abelmaim,ª and all¹ the storeª citiesª of Naphtali.ª" {2Ch 16:4}
|
