EGLON

EGLON. - 1. King of Moab, who oppressed the southern part of Israel for 18 years (Judg. 3, 12-22). Assisted by bands of Ammonites and Amalekites, he crossed the Jordan and, at the expense of the tribe of Benjamin, occupied the plain of Jericho, forcing the Israelites to pay an annual tribute. Aod (v.) killed him, drove out the invaders, and regained control of the fords of the Jordan.

BIBL.: L. Deanoyere, Histoire du peuple hébreu, I, Parigi 1932, pp. 132-36; G. Ricciotti, Storia d'Israele, Torino 1932, p. 295.

2. Canaanite city of the Šēphēlāh (Josh. 12, 12), whose king Dabir (Josh. 10, 3) joined the coalition sponsored by Adamicdec (v.), king of Jerusalem, against the Gibeonites, allies of the Israelites. Giosuè defeated them in the celebrated battle of Gibeon and conquered six Canaanite cities, including Lachish and E. (Josh. 10, 23.34.36 ff.), which he assigned to the tribe of Judah (Josh. 15, 29). Its identification is uncertain: Hirbet 'Ağlān preserves its name; but it is more probably to be identified with Tell el-Ḥesī, 25 km northeast of Gaza.

BIBL.: For Hirbet 'Ağlān: E. Robinson, Palästina, II, Halle 1841, p. 657; A. Legendre, s. V. in DB, II, col. 1602 ff.; A. Fernandez, Compa. in Jos., Parigi 1938, p. 140. For Tell el-Ḥesī: W. F. Albright, in Bull. of the Am. Schools of Or. Res., 15 (1924), p. 7 ff.; J. Garstang, Joshua-Judges, Londra 1931, p. 373 ff.; P. Hennequin, s. V. in DBs. III, cols. 366-68; F. Zorell, Les hebr. et arom., Roma 1940 8gg., p. 571.

Francesco Spadafora

Cite this article

“EGLON.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. V (1950), p. 135. Azione Romana digital edition, https://azioneromana.com/article/eglon.