ABEL (Heb. Abhel “meadow”; perhaps, however, it is an Aramaization of the Canaanite ôbil “canal”). — Name of five Palestinian or Transjordanian localities.
1. Abel-beth-Maacah “A. of the house of Maacah (q.v.),” or Abel-maim “A. of the waters,” or simply A. A fortified city on the northern frontier of Israelite territory near Dan. There Seba took refuge, pursued by Joab; but the city, “a mother in Israel,” providently wise and peaceful, cast the head of Seba down to Joab from the wall, thus lifting the siege (2 Sam. 20:14-19). Ben-hadad took from the king of Israel the city of Abel (1 Kgs. 15:20; 2 Chr. 16:4). Tiglath-pileser occupied it with the other cities of Naphtali and deported its inhabitants to Assyria (2 Kgs. 15:29). Today it is probably Abil el-Kameh, west of Banias.
2. Abel-shittim (Vulgate; Heb. Abel ha-shittim “A. of the acacias” or simply Shittim [“Acacias”]). Camp of the Israelites before crossing the Jordan (Num. 25:1; 33:49; Josh. 2:1; 3:1; Mic. 6:5); today Tell Kefreih, 2 km. east of the Jordan, in the direction of Jericho (according to some, Wadi es-Seiale, 5 km. further south).
3. Abel-keramim “A. of the vineyards.” Village of the Ammonites (Judg. 11:33), situated, according to the Onomasticon of Eusebius (32:14-16), 6 or 7 miles (ca. 10 km.) from Philadelphia (q.V. RABBINO); perhaps it is the present-day Na’ur or, according to others, Abil es-Zait.
4. Abel-meholah (Heb. Abel Meholah “A. of the dance”). Birthplace of Elisha (Judg. 7:22; 1 Kgs. 4:12; 19:16); perhaps it is the modern Tell Abu Sifri, ca. 15 km. south of Beisan.
5. Abel-mizraim “A. of Egypt,” interpreted in Gen. 50:11 as “mourning (ebel) of the Egyptians,” because there Joseph and his brothers mourned the death of Jacob. Located east of the Jordan, perhaps it is the present-day Tell el-Aglah or Ifirbet Gharbe.
The Abel magnus (of the Vulgate) in 1 Sam. 6:18 corresponds to the Heb. Abel ha-gedolah; but with the LXX and Targum it should be read eben ha-gedolah, i.e., “the great stone” (cf. vv. 14 ff.).