Abel-beth-maachah

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A city of importance in the extreme North of Palestine in the lot of Naphtali or Manasseh: it is mentioned with Ijon and Daniel. In 2 Samuel 20:1515And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down. (2 Samuel 20:15) it is called “Abel of BETH-MAACHAH” and the wisdom of its rulers was said to be proverbial (2 Sam. 20:1818Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter. (2 Samuel 20:18)). It was here that Sheba took shelter from Joab, but was put to death by the inhabitants. It was taken with other cities by Benhadad (1 Kings 15:2020So Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-beth-maachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. (1 Kings 15:20)), and subsequently by Tiglath-pileser (2 Kings 15:2929In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria. (2 Kings 15:29)), when its inhabitants were carried away captive to Assyria. It is called ABEL-MAIM in 2 Chron. 16:44And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. (2 Chronicles 16:4). This has been identified with Abl, 33° 15' N, 35° 34' E.