Dictionaries :: Aijalon, or Ajalon

Smith's Bible Dictionary

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 compare with 1 Chronicles 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).