Abel-beth-maacah, a fortified city in northern Israel, near Dan.
Also known as r · Abel · Abel-maim · Abel Maim
Abel-beth-maacah, also known as Abel-maim, was a fortified city in northern Israel, located near the city of Dan. It was besieged by Joab, King David's commander, when Sheba son of Bikri took refuge there after rebelling against David (2Sa.20.14-15). The city was known for its wisdom, as seen in the saying, "They used to say in former times, 'Let them inquire at Abel'" (2Sa.20.18). During the reign of King Baasha of Israel, Abel-beth-maacah was captured by Ben-Hadad I of Syria, who was allied with King Asa of Judah (1Ki.15.20; 2Ch.16.4). Later, in the reign of Pekah of Israel, the city was captured by King Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria (2Ki.15.29).
Approximate location: 33.269, 35.578 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
6 verses in 4 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H0062
Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel-beth-maacah and through the entire region of the Berites, who gathered together and followed him.
And Joabʼs troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel-beth-maacah and built a siege ramp against the outer rampart of the city. As all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to topple it,
Then the woman said, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Seek counsel at Abel,’ and that is how disputes were settled.
And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, conquering Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and the whole land of Naphtali, including the region of Chinnereth.
In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and he took the people as captives to Assyria.
And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, conquering Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.