Ebron
Ebron is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Phoenicia in modern-day Israel. Known today as Tel Avdon. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Ebron appears in Joshua 19:28 as one of the border towns in the territorial allotment of the tribe of Asher: "Abdon, Rehob, Hammon, Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon." (Some manuscripts and translations render the name as "Abdon" rather than "Ebron," and the two names may refer to the same location or reflect a textual variant.) The town was situated in the coastal region of northern Canaan, in the area later known as Phoenicia, assigned to the tribe of Asher. Asher's territory along the Mediterranean coast was renowned for its productivity, and Jacob's blessing anticipated that "Asher's food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king" (Genesis 49:20). The coastal location of Asher's cities, including Ebron, placed them at the interface between Israelite and Phoenician culture — a borderland where the mixing of peoples and religious practices posed ongoing challenges to covenant faithfulness. Judges 1:31–32 records that Asher failed to drive out the Canaanite inhabitants of their assigned cities, and "the Asherites lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land." Ebron's identity as a border town in this contested coastal territory reflects the broader challenges Israel faced in fully possessing its inheritance.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Ebron is identified with Tel Avdon, located in the western Galilee region of northern Israel near the modern village of Avdon, approximately 15 kilometers east of Akko (Acre). Tel Avdon has been investigated in surface surveys and limited excavations, revealing occupation layers from the Bronze Age through the Byzantine period. The site sits in a productive agricultural zone on the coastal plain, consistent with the rich character of Asher's tribal territory. If identified with the Abdon listed in Joshua 21:30 and 1 Chronicles 6:74 as a Levitical city, it would have served as one of the towns set aside for the priestly tribe, adding administrative and religious significance to its role in the Israelite settlement period.
Verse Appearances (1)
Josh
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →