Places in the Bible Today:

Abel-meholah

Data

Translated NamesAbel-meholah, Abel-Meholah, Abel Meholah
Typesettlement
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

6 Possible Identifications

  1. Tell Abu Sus (modern): 70% confidence

    1. satellite view of the region around Tell Abu SusTell Abu Sus

  2. Tell el Hilu (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. satellite view of the region around Tell el HiluTell el Hilu

  3. Ras el Kharube (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. satellite view of the region around Ras el KharubeRas el Kharube

  4. Tell el Hamme (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. satellite view of the region around Tell el HammeTell el Hamme

  5. Tall al Meqbarah (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. satellite view of the region around Tall al MeqbarahTall al Meqbarah

  6. Tell el Maqlub (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. satellite view of the region around Tell el MaqlubTell el Maqlub

Verses (3)

Josh-Ruth (1)
Judg 7:22
1Sam-Esth (2)
1Kgs 4:12, 19:16

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Biblemapper.com87
Logos FactbookAbel-meholah
OpenBible.info (2007)Abel-meholah
OpenBible.infoa5a1bdd (Abel-meholah)
TIPNRAbel-meholah@Jdg.7.22
UBS Names Databaseot ID_39
WikidataQ4666524

Sources

  1. Aharoni, Land of the Bible (1979): page 429
  2. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Abel-meholah (place)
  3. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Abel-meholah
  4. Carta Bible Atlas, 5th Edition (2011)
  5. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Abel-Meholah
  6. ESV Bible Atlas (2010)
  7. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Abel-meholah
  8. Hammond Atlas of the Bible Lands (2007): Abel-meholah
  9. HarperCollins Concise Atlas of the Bible (1991)
  10. Holman Illustrated Guide to Bible Geography (2020): page 186
  11. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Abel-Meholah
  12. IVP Old Testament Bible Background Commentary (2000): Judg 7:22; 1Kgs 19:16
  13. Lexham Bible Dictionary (2016): Abel-meholah
  14. Monson, Regions on the Run (2009): map 5
  15. Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2014): Abel Meholah
  16. New Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary (2009)
  17. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988)
  18. Oxford Bible Atlas, Fourth Edition (2007)
  19. Reader’s Digest Atlas of the Bible (1981): Abel-meholah
  20. Schlegel, Satellite Bible Atlas (2016): Abel-meholah
  21. Tyndale Bible Dictionary (2001): Abel-meholah
  22. Tübingen Bible Atlas (2001): Abel Mehola
  23. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Abel-meholah
  24. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010)
  25. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  26. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): 1Kgs 19:16
  27. Zondervan Pictorial Bible Atlas (1972): pages 112, 185

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others (in this case, Tell Abu Sus), then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2019

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.