Aijalon

(place of gazelles ).

1. A city of the Kohathites. ( Joshua 21:24 ; 1 Chronicles 6:69 ) It was a Levitical city and a city of refuge. It was originally allotted to the tribe of Dan, ( Joshua 19:42 ) Authorized Version, AJALON, which tribe, however, was unable to dispossess the Amorites of the place. ( Judges 1:35 ) Aijalon was one of the towns fortified by Reheboam, ( 2 Chronicles 11:10 ) and the last we hear of it is being in the hands of the Philistines. ( 2 Chronicles 28:18 ) Being on the very frontier of the two kingdoms, we can understand how Aijalon should be spoken of sometimes, ( 1 Chronicles 6:69 ) comp. with 1Chr 6:66 as in Ephraim and sometimes, ( 2 Chronicles 11:10 ; 1 Samuel 14:31 ) as in Judah and Benjamin. It is represented by the modern Yalo , a little to the north of the Jaffa road, about 14 miles out of Jerusalem.
2. A broad and beautiful valley near the city of Aijalon over which Joshua commanded the moon to stand still during the pursuit after the battle of Gibeon. ( Joshua 10:12 )
3. A place in Zebulon, mentioned as the burial-place of Elon, one of the Judges. ( Judges 12:12 )