Ajalon
Easton's Bible Dictionary
And Aij’alon, place of deer.
A town and valley originally assigned to the tribe of Dan, from which, however, they could not drive the Amorites (Judg 1:35). It was one of the Levitical cities given to the Kohathites (1 Chr 6:69). It was not far from Beth-shemesh (2 Chr 28:18). It was the boundary between the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, and is frequently mentioned in Jewish history (2 Chr 11:10; 1 Sam 14:31; 1 Chr 8:13). With reference to the valley named after the town, Joshua uttered the celebrated command, “Sun, stand thou still on Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon” (Josh 10:12). It has been identified as the modern Yalo, at the foot of the Beth-horon pass (q.v.). In the Tell Amarna letters Adoni-zedek (q.v.) speaks of the destruction of the “city of Ajalon” by the invaders, and describes himself as “afflicted, greatly afflicted” by the calamities that had come on the land, urging the king of Egypt to hasten to his help.
A city in the tribe of Zebulun (Judg 12:12), the modern Jalun, three miles north of Cabul.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Aijalon
a'-ja-lon ('ayyalon, "deerplace"; the King James Version, Ajalon (Josh 10:12)):
(1) The name of a town allotted to the tribe of Da (Josh 19:42), which was also designated a Levitical city (Josh 21:24), which fell to the Sons of Kohath (1 Chr 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" (Josh 10:12). The Danites failed to take it from the Amorites (Judg 1:35), although the men of Ephraim held it in vassalage. Here Saul and Jonathan won a great victory over the Philistines (1 Sam 14:31). At one time it was held by the tribe of Benjamin (1 Chr 8:13). Rehoboam fortified it against the kingdom of Israel (2 Chr 11:10). In the days of King Ahaz it was captured by the Philistines (2 Chr 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 (Judg 12:12).
Edward Mack
See also
Place Aijalon (Jos 19,42) Place Valley of Aijalon (Jos 10,12)
Kilde: Easton's Bible Dictionary (M.G. Easton, 1897) og International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (red. James Orr, 1915/1939), public domain. Translated into Danish with AI and not yet proofread (fully or partially). Links to people and places: Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0).