Elealeh
Elealeh is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Transjordan in modern-day Israel. Known today as Al ‘Al. It appears across 5 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Elealeh was a Transjordanian city assigned to the tribe of Reuben following Israel's defeat of the Amorite kings Sihon and Og. Numbers 32:3 lists Elealeh among the cities requested by the Reubenites and Gadites, who saw that Transjordan's pasturelands were suited to their large herds. Moses agreed to their settlement there provided they crossed the Jordan with the rest of Israel to assist in the conquest (Numbers 32:16–32). Elealeh is subsequently listed among cities rebuilt by Reuben (Numbers 32:37). The city appears in prophetic literature as well: Isaiah 15:4 and 16:9 include Elealeh in the oracle of mourning over Moab, lamenting that its cry is heard even as far as Elealeh — suggesting that by Isaiah's time Moab had reasserted control over former Reubenite territory. Jeremiah 48:34 echoes the same lament. This trajectory — from Israelite possession to Moabite encroachment — reflects the broader story of Reuben's decline and the vulnerability of Transjordanian settlements to the pressures of neighboring peoples across the centuries of the monarchy.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Elealeh is identified with the modern site of Al 'Al in Jordan, situated approximately two kilometers north of Heshbon on the Transjordanian plateau. The site has been noted in archaeological surveys of the region, with surface pottery indicating occupation during the Iron Age and later periods, consistent with the Reubenite settlement and subsequent Moabite presence reflected in the biblical texts. The broader Heshbon area was excavated by Andrews University from 1968–1976, revealing substantial Bronze and Iron Age occupation. Elealeh's proximity to Heshbon, a major administrative center, suggests it functioned as part of the same regional settlement system. The fertile plateau around both sites supports the pastoral economy the Reubenites sought when requesting this territory.
Verse Appearances (5)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →