Cabul
“Bound (Hebrew) or displeasing (Phoenician)”
Summary
A border city of Asher, and also the name given by Hiram of Tyre to a district of twenty cities given him by Solomon.
☩The City
Cabul was a city on the eastern border of Asher, apparently in the northern part beyond Beth-Emek. It corresponds to the Chabolo mentioned by Josephus as on the confines of Ptolemais (Acre) in Galilee, about 40 stadia from Jotapata. The site is identified with the modern village Kabul, about nine miles southeast of Acre.
☩The District Given to Hiram
Solomon gave Hiram king of Tyre a district containing twenty cities in acknowledgment of his services in building the Temple. Hiram was displeased with the gift, saying 'What kind of cities are these?', and called the whole district Cabul—a name that in Phoenician signified 'displeasing.' Some scholars suggest Cabul means 'the pawned land,' as Solomon may have given the cities as security for a loan of 120 talents of gold. From 2 Chronicles 8:2 it appears Hiram later restored the cities to Solomon.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Cabul," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. II (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Cabul," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. I (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.George Morrish, "Cabul," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 4.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Cabul," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).