Carmel was a town in Judah, known as the home of Nabal and his wife Abigail, who later married David.
Also known as Carmelite · Carmelitess · Racal · Rakal · Rachal
Carmel, also known as Racal, was a town located in the hill country of Judah (Joshua 15:55). It is mentioned several times in the Bible, particularly in relation to David's life. Carmel was the home of Nabal, a wealthy but foolish man who refused to assist David and his men (1Sa.25.2-11). Nabal's wife, Abigail, intervened and provided for David's needs, demonstrating her wisdom and resourcefulness (1Sa.25.14-35).
After Nabal's death, David married Abigail, and she became one of his wives (1Sa.25.40-42). Later, when David was fleeing from Saul, he sent his two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail, to stay in Carmel (1Sa.27.3). The town is also mentioned in the list of places that received spoils from David's victory over the Amalekites (1Sa.30.29).
In the Song of Solomon, the beauty of the bride's head is compared to Mount Carmel (Sng.7.5), likely referring to the lush vegetation and majesty of the mountain. The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, and Nahum use Carmel as a symbol of fertility, beauty, and God's judgment (Isaiah 33:9, 35:2; Jeremiah 46:18, 50:19; Amo.1.2, 9:3; Nam.1.4).
Approximate location: 31.433, 35.133 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
A park; generally with the article, “the park.” (1.) A prominent headland of Central Palestine, consisting of several connected hills extending from the plain of Esdraelon to the sea, a distance of some 12 miles or more. At the east end, in its highest part, it is 1,728 feet high, and at the west end it forms a promontory to the bay of Acre about 600 feet above the sea. It lay within the tribe of Asher. It was here, at the east end of the ridge, at a place called el-Mukhrakah (i.e., the place of burning), that Elijah brought back the people to their allegiance to God, and slew the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18). Here were consumed the “fifties” of the royal guard; and here also Elisha received the visit of the bereaved mother whose son was restored by him to life (2 Kings 4:25-37). “No mountain in or around Palestine retains its ancient beauty so much as Carmel. Two or three villages and some scattered cottages are found on it; its groves are few but luxuriant; it is no place for crags and precipices or rocks of wild goats; but its surface is covered with a rich and constant verdure.” “The whole mountain-side is dressed with blossom, and flowering shrubs, and fragrant herbs.” The western extremity of the ridge is, however, more rocky and bleak than the eastern. The head of the bride in Cant. 7:5 is compared to Carmel. It is ranked with Bashan on account of its rich pastures (Isa. 33:9; Jer. 50:19; Amos 1:2). The whole ridge is deeply furrowed with rocky ravines filled with dense jungle. There are many caves in its sides, which at one time were inhabited by swarms of monks. These caves are referred to in Amos 9:3. To them Elijah and Elisha often resorted (1 Kings 18:19, 42; 2 Kings 2:25). On its north-west summit there is an ancient establishment of Carmelite monks.…
circumcised lamb; harvest; full of ears of corn
CAR'MEL (fruitful, or wooded). 1. One of the most noted mountains in Mount Carmel, from the Bey of Acre. {After Views of G. M. Powell.) Palestine, a range or ridge about 12 miles long, one end jutting into the Mediterranean Sea in a bold bluff over 500 feet high, extending thence southeast until it abruptly breaks off in an inland bluff over 500 feet above the sea level. Its highest elevation, about 4 miles from the east end, is nearly 1740 feet. It is specially noted as being the scene of remarkable events in the history of Elijah and Elisha. 2 Kgs 2:25; Gal 4:25. The scene of the famous contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal, 1 Kgs 18:20-42, was near the east end of the ridge, at el-Mahrakah (i. e. "burnt-offering"); a well is near, and a slippery path leads down to the Kishon, several hundred feet below. This stream is now called Nahr el-Mukatta, "river of slaughter," in memory of this event. It is a sacred mountain alike to Jews, Christians, and Moslems, and formerly swarmed with monks and hermits. One tract, known as the Monk's Cavern, has hundreds of caves, and a little below is the traditional cave of Elijah. On the mountain is the large monastery of the Carmelites, which affords hospitable accommodation and a magnificent view. It is now occupied by eighteen monks. The German colony of Haifa has recently planted vineyards on Mount Carmel. Present Appearance. — Carmel is covered with a profusion of vegetation, illustrating "the excellency of Carmel." Isa 35:2. It is still known as Kurmul and Mar Elyas (Mount St. Elias). The rugged sides of the ridge are of hard, dark stone, always steep, often precipitous, covered with shrubs of dark, rich green. These shrubs are chiefly a kind of pistachio with no berries, the sponge laurel, the hawthorn, and the…
CAR'MEL (fruitful, or wooded). 1. One of the most noted mountains in Mount Carmel, from the Bey of Acre. {After Views of G. M. Powell.) Palestine, a range or ridge about 12 miles long, one end jutting into the Mediterranean Sea in a bold bluff over 500 feet high, extending thence southeast until it abruptly breaks off in an inland bluff over 500 feet above the sea level. Its highest elevation, about 4 miles from the east end, is nearly 1740 feet. It is specially noted as being the scene of remarkable events in the history of Elijah and Elisha. 2 Kgs 2:25; Gal 4:25. The scene of the famous contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal, 1 Kgs 18:20-42, was near the east end of the ridge, at el-Mahrakah (i. e. "burnt-offering"); a well is near, and a slippery path leads down to the Kishon, several hundred feet below. This stream is now called Nahr el-Mukatta, "river of slaughter," in memory of this event. It is a sacred mountain alike to Jews, Christians, and Moslems, and formerly swarmed with monks and hermits. One tract, known as the Monk's Cavern, has hundreds of caves, and a little below is the traditional cave of Elijah. On the mountain is the large monastery of the Carmelites, which affords hospitable accommodation and a magnificent view. It is now occupied by eighteen monks. The German colony of Haifa has recently planted vineyards on Mount Carmel. Present Appearance. — Carmel is covered with a profusion of vegetation, illustrating "the excellency of Carmel." Isa 35:2. It is still known as Kurmul
and Mar Elyas (Mount St. Elias). The rugged sides of the ridge are of hard, dark stone, always steep, often precipitous, covered with shrubs of dark, rich green. These shrubs are chiefly a kind of pistachio with no berries, the sponge laurel, the hawthorn, and the…
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
24 verses in 9 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H3760
the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one;
Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,
Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. On the west the border touched Carmel and Shihor-libnath,
Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel, and behold, he has set up a monument for himself and has turned and gone down to Gilgal.”
Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. He was a very wealthy man with a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel.
So David sent ten young men and instructed them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel. Greet him in my name
Now I hear that it is time for shearing. When your shepherds were with us, we did not harass them, and nothing of theirs was missing the whole time they were in Carmel.
When his servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said, “David has sent us to take you as his wife.”
David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal.
Davidʼs two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken captive.
to those in Racal and in the cities of the Jerahmeelites and Kenites;
So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.
his second was Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; his third was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;
Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
These were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: The firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam of Jezreel; the second was Daniel by Abigail of Carmel;
Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,
Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, the hair of your head like purple threads; the king is captured in your tresses.
The land mourns and languishes; Lebanon is ashamed and decayed. Sharon is like a desert; Bashan and Carmel shake off their leaves.
It will bloom profusely and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.
As surely as I live, declares the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts, there will come one who is like Tabor among the mountains and like Carmel by the sea.
I will return Israel to his pasture, and he will graze on Carmel and Bashan; his soul will be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.
He said: “The LORD roars from Zion and raises His voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the summit of Carmel withers.”
Though they hide themselves atop Carmel, there I will track them and seize them; and though they hide from Me at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent to bite them.
He rebukes the sea and dries it up; He makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts.
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.