Abel (Place) — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Fortified border city in upper Galilee to which King David’s general Joab pursued the rebel Sheba. After a wise woman of the city negotiated with Joab, the citizens executed Sheba and threw his head over the wall. Joab then called off the siege (2 Sm 20:13-22). The city was later conquered by the Syrian Ben-hadad during a continuing war between King Asa of Judah and King Baasha of Israel. When Asa persuaded Ben-hadad to break a treaty with Baasha, Ben-hadad took a large amount of territory, including Abel, or Abel-beth-maacah, as it was also called (1 Kgs 15:16-20). Still later, Abel-beth-maacah (sometimes called simply Abel of Beth-maacah, or Abel of Beth-maachah) was conquered by Tiglath-pileser III, and its inhabitants were taken captive to Assyria (2 Kgs 15:29). The same city is called Abel-maim (“meadow of water”), emphasizing the productivity of the region (2 Chr 16:4). The town has been identified with modern Tell Abil-el-Qamh.

Show passage in OET: SA2 20:13–22

OET-RV SA2 20:13

13 After the body had been removed from the road, all the men followed after Yoav to chase Sheva.

OET-RV SA2 20:14

14 Meanwhile Sheva crossed through all the tribal regions of Yisrael (Israel) to Avel -Beyt-Ma’akah where all his relatives gathered together and agreed to back him.

OET-RV SA2 20:15

15 Yoav’s men arrived and Avel-Beyt-Ma’akah. They heaped a siege ramp up against the city, and also pounded the wall to try to make it collapse.

OET-RV SA2 20:16

16 Then a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen, listen, please tell Yoav to come closer so I can speak to him.”

OET-RV SA2 20:17

17 Yoav went in closer and she asked, “Are you Yoav?”
¶ “I am,” he replied.
¶ “Listen to what your servant has to say,” she said.
¶ “I’m listening,” he answered.

OET-RV SA2 20:18

18 Then she told him, “Long ago people used to tell others to come here to Avel to get advice, and they’d do that and then be able to settle the matter.

OET-RV SA2 20:19

19 I’m a peaceable and faithful citizen of Yisrael. You’re trying to destroy this city and a mother in Yisrael. Why would you wipe out our inheritance from Yahweh?”

OET-RV SA2 20:20

20 “Far be it, far be it for me that I would destroy or wipe it out,” Yoav replied.

OET-RV SA2 20:21

21 That’s not what we’re here for. We’re here for a man from the Efrayim (Ephraim) hills named Sheva, the son of Bikri. He took a stand against the king—against David. Just hand him over to us, and then we’ll leave your city.”
¶ “Wait,” the woman told Yoav. “His head will be thrown over the wall to you.”

OET-RV SA2 20:22

22 So the woman went to all the people with her wisdom, and they decapitated Sheva, and threw his head down to Yoav. Then he signalled on the trumpet, and his men left the area and went back to their homes, and Yoav returned to the king at Yerushalem (Jerusalem).

OET-LV SA2 20:13

13 Just_as he _had _removed_him from the_highway every _of person he _passed _on after Yōʼāⱱ to_pursue after Sheⱱaˊ the _son _of Bicri.

OET-LV SA2 20:14

14 And_he _passed in_all the _tribes _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) to_ʼĀⱱēl and_Bēyt- maˊₐkāh and_all the_Berites and and_they _came also after_him.

OET-LV SA2 20:15

15 And_they _came and_they _laid _siege on/upon/above_him/it in_of house _of maˊₐkāh and_they _poured _out a _mound against the_city and_it _stood by_rampart and_all the_people which was_with Yōʼāⱱ were_about _to _destroy to_make _fall the_wall.

OET-LV SA2 20:16

16 And_ a _woman wise _she/it _called/named from the_city listen listen say please to Yōʼāⱱ/(Joab) draw _near to here so_that _I _may _speak to_you.

OET-LV SA2 20:17

17 And_he _drew _near to_her/it and_ the_woman _she/it _said are_you Yōʼāⱱ and_he/it _said I_am and_she/it _said to_him/it listen _to the _words/messages _of your(ms)_female _slave and_he/it _said I am_listening.

OET-LV SA2 20:18

18 And_she/it _said to_say surely _(speak) they _spoke at_time to_say really _(ask) they _will _ask at_ʼĀⱱēl and_thus/so/as _follows they _ceased.

OET-LV SA2 20:19

19 I am_the _peaceful_ones_of the _faithful_ones_of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) you are_seeking to_kill a _city and_a _mother in_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) to/for_what will _you _swallow _up the _inheritance _of YHWH.

OET-LV SA2 20:20

20 And_ Yōʼāⱱ _he _answered and_he _said far_be _it far_be _it to_me if I _will _swallow _up and_if I _will _destroy.

OET-LV SA2 20:21

21 Is_not so the_matter if/because a _man from_hill of _ʼEfrayim who_is_Sheⱱaˊ the _son _of Bicri his/its_name he _has _lifted _up his/its_hand against_king against_Dāvid give DOM_him/it for_him/it_being _alone and_I _will _go from_under the_city and_ the_woman _she/it _said to Yōʼāⱱ HERE his/its_head is_about _to _be _thrown to_you behind the_wall.

OET-LV SA2 20:22

22 And_ the_woman _she _went to all _of the_people with_wisdom _of_her and_they _cut _off DOM the _head _of Sheⱱaˊ the _son _of Bicri and_they _threw_it to Yōʼāⱱ/(Joab) and_he _gave _a _blast on_trumpet and_they _were _scattered from_under the_city each to_tents _of_his and_Yōʼāⱱ he _returned Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem) to the_king.

Show passage in OET: KI1 15:16–20

OET-RV KI1 15:16

16 Asa and King Baesha of Yisrael were in a continual state of war during their reigns.

OET-RV KI1 15:17

17 King Baesha invaded Yehudah (Judah) and fortified Ramah so that no one could pass in or out to help King Asa of Yehudah.

OET-RV KI1 15:18

18 So Asa took all the remaining gold and silver from the temple and palace storerooms, and sent it with his servants to take to Ben -Hadad, son of Tavrimon, son of King Hezyon of Aram (Syria) who lived in Damesek (Damascus), to tell him,

OET-RV KI1 15:19

19 “You and me have an agreement between us that was made by our two fathers, so look, I’ve sent a present of gold and silver to you. So then, break your agreement with King Baesha of Yisrael so he’ll give up on attacking me.”

OET-RV KI1 15:20