Abel Meholah
“Meadow of dancing”
Summary
A town in the Jordan valley, famous as the birthplace of the prophet Elisha and the destination of the Midianites' flight from Gideon.
☩Location
Abel Meholah was located in the Jordan valley, south of Beth-shean, on the confines of the territories of Issachar and Manasseh. The name means 'meadow of dancing,' perhaps indicating a place where festive celebrations were held. It has been identified with a site near where the Wady Maleh or Wady Helweh comes down into the Jordan valley, about ten Roman miles south of Beth-shean.
☩Biblical Events
When Gideon and his three hundred men broke their pitchers and routed the Midianites, the fleeing army ran toward Abel Meholah and Zererah. More significantly, this was the hometown of Elisha the prophet. When Elijah, returning from Mount Horeb, passed through Abel Meholah, he found Elisha plowing with twelve yoke of oxen and cast his mantle upon him, calling him to prophetic service. Adriel the Meholathite, to whom Saul's daughter Merab was given in marriage, was also likely from this town.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Abel-meholah," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. I (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Abel-Meholah," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. I (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Abel-Meholah," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).