A town whose location is now uncertain but almost certainly located on the west side but near the River Jordan and in the vicinity of Beth-Shean. It was the home-town of the prophet Elisha (1 Ki 19:16). Abel Meholah, "the pastures of Meholah" probably describes the town's surrounding countryside.
It is not known whether the town fell within the tribal inheritance of Manasseh or (more likely) Ephraim. This is suggested by the narrative recounting the pitched battle fought in the days of Gideon against the Midianites in the Valley of Jezreel which resulted in a route for the Midianites. As they made for home in the eastern side of the Jordan, which they had to cross, they "fled to Beth Shittah towards Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath" (Judg 7:22). Gideon sent messages to the Ephraimites to block their escape. The plan did not seem to have turned out quite as expected and an altercation resulted between Ephraim and Gideon (Judg 8:1ff.).
Apart from Elisha, Adriel (Saul's son-in-law) was also a Meholathite (i.e., someone from Meholah) (1 Sam 18:19). The town did not seem to have placed any otherwise significant role in the history of ancient Israel.
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