אָבֵל בֵּית־מֲעַכָה (a.vel bet-ma.a.khah)
a.vel bet-ma.a.khah
Abel-beth-maachah
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The proper noun Abel-beth-maachah identifies a specific town in the far north of ancient Israel, situated near the border with Damascus. The name translates to "meadow of the house of Maachah," indicating its location within a fertile valley associated with the local ruling family. This geographical detail places it at the edge of the territory controlled by King David and later Solomon.
Scripture mentions this place four times, primarily in the historical books of Samuel and Kings. It appears as a strategic point during conflicts involving Aram and Israel, serving as a boundary marker or a site of military movement. Its brief appearances highlight its role as a northern outpost rather than a central political hub.
The word functions solely as a geographical label in the biblical text. It anchors the narrative in real terrain, reminding readers that the events described took place in identifiable locations. The name itself preserves the memory of the Maachah clan, linking the land to its early inhabitants.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Abel-beth-maachah was a small town in the far north of Israel, near the border with Damascus. Its name means "meadow of the house of Maachah," pointing to a fertile valley tied to a local family. Though it appears only four times in Scripture, this place matters because it shows how God’s people lived in real, specific locations.
In II Samuel 20, Joab besieged the city during a rebellion, highlighting its strategic role as a northern outpost. Later, in I Kings 15 and II Kings 15, it was caught in the crossfire of empires like Aram and Assyria. These brief mentions remind us that faith is lived out in ordinary places, even when they become sites of conflict or change.
For you, this word invites reflection on how God works through history’s details. Abel-beth-maachah was not a capital or a shrine, yet it played a part in God’s larger story. It encourages us to trust that every place—and every moment—has meaning in His plan, even when we cannot see the full picture.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Maacah3×
- Beth3×
- Abel2×
- in/ Abel/ <towards>1×
- and/ Beth1×
- Abel/ towards1×
- <the>/ Maacah1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בֵּֽית\־2×
- אָבֵ֣ל2×
- מַעֲכָ֡ה1×
- מַעֲכָ֖ה1×
- מַעֲכָ֑ה1×
- וּ/בֵ֥ית1×
- הַֽ/מַּעֲכָ֔ה1×
- בֵּ֣ית1×
- בְּ/אָבֵ֙לָ/ה֙1×
- אָבֵ֛לָ/ה1×
Key Verses
-
II Samuel 20:14
He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites. They were gathered together, and went also after him.
This verse marks Abel-beth-maachah as a gathering point for tribes during Sheba’s rebellion, showing its role in national unity or division.
-
II Samuel 20:15
They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down.
Here, Joab besieges the city, illustrating its strategic value as a fortified northern outpost during internal conflict.
-
I Kings 15:20
Ben Hadad listened to King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abel Beth Maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
Ben Hadad’s attack on Abel-beth-maachah reveals its vulnerability to foreign powers and its position on Israel’s northern border.
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II Kings 15:29
In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria.
Tiglath Pileser’s capture of the city underscores its fate under Assyrian expansion, linking local history to broader imperial shifts.