Aijalon

Aijalon, or Ajalon

(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 )

Bibliography Information

Smith, William, Dr. "Entry for 'Aijalon, or Ajalon'". "Smith's Bible Dictionary". . 1901.

AIJALON

a'-ja-lon ('ayyalon, "deerplace"; the King James Version, Ajalon (Joshua 10:12)):

(1) The name of a town allotted to the tribe of Da (Joshua 19:42), which was also designated a Levitical city (Joshua 21:24), which fell to the Sons of Kohath (1 Chronicles 6:69). The first mention of Aijalon is in the narrative of Joshua's defeat of the five Amorite kings:

"thou, Moon, in the valley of Aijalon" (Joshua 10:12). The Danites failed to take it from the Amorites (Judges 1:35), although the men of Ephraim held it in vassalage. Here Saul and Jonathan won a great victory over the Philistines (1 Samuel 14:31). At one time it was held by the tribe of Benjamin (1 Chronicles 8:13). Rehoboam fortified it against the kingdom of Israel (2 Chronicles 11:10). In the days of King Ahaz it was captured by the Philistines (2 Chronicles 28:18). It has been identified with the modern Yalo; its antiquity goes back to Tell el-Amarna Letters, in which it has mention. It Is situated Northwest of Jerusalem in a valley of the same name, which leads down from the mountains to the sea.

(2) A town in the tribe of Zebulun, site unknown, where Elon the judge was buried (Judges 12:12).

Edward Mack


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Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'AIJALON'". "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". 1915.