eb -en -ē´zẽr ( אבן חעזר , 'ebhen hā -‛ezer , "stone of the help"; Ἀβενέζερ , Abenézer ): (1) Here Israel was defeated by the Philistines, 4,000 men falling in the battle (1 Samuel 4:1 ). It appears also to have been the scene of the disaster when the ark of God was captured (1 Samuel 4:3 ). The place is not identified. It was over against Aphek; but this site is also unknown (compare Joshua 12:18 ). Eusebius, Onomasticon places it between Jerusalem and Ascalon, in the neighborhood of Beth-shemesh. Conder suggests Deir Abān , fully 2 miles East of ‛Ain Shems (PEF , III, 24). (2) A stone set up by Samuel to perpetuate the memory of the signal victory granted to Israel over the Philistines in answer to his prayer (1 Samuel 7:12 ). It stood between Mizpeh and Shen. The latter is probably identical with ‛Ain Sinia , North of Bethel. This defines the district in which it may be found; but no identification is yet possible.
Source
- part_of
source-manifest/isbe— ISBE (PD)