Abel

The second son (twin ?) of Adam and Eve, by occupation a herdsman (Gn 4"), offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain (He U'), and out of jealousy was slain by his elder brother (Gn 4'. See Cain). The current etymolo'iy (Sjn breath, vanity) has been disputed by tVie Assyriologists, who connect the name with ablu, abal, 'son' (cf. Asurbanipal) ; but while this may well be the root, it does not follow that it gives the etymology in the mind of the writer.

There would have been no jjoint in naming the younger brother 'son' (Kranz Delitzsch), and it is better to suppose that the proper name was here designed to suggest the idea of tlie short-lived or possibly the shepherd (cf. Sj;). The representation of A. as a slieplierd coincides with the OT tradition of the superiority of the pastoral life. The ground of the aeceptiince of A.

's offering (Gn 4) is not its conformity to a revealed command, nor its character of blood, but the spirit of true piety which was expressed in his iving to God his beat, viz. the tirsll ngs of the ock, and of these the fattest portions. Cain's knowledge of God's acceptance of A.'s oU'ering implies a visible sign, probably the kindling of the sat-rilice by fire from heaven (cf. 1 K 18^).

In NT Abel a|)pear8 as the first martyr (Mt 23"), and as a hero of faith (He II'), while his death is contrasted with that of Christ as calling, not for forgiveness, but for vengeance (cf. Westcott on He 12'). The character and the fate of A. rellect the Jewish consciousness of the enduring division of mankind into the two cla.s.ses of the )ieo|<le and the enemies of God, and of the persecutions endured by His chosen people at the hands of their enemies (cf. 1 Jn 3'^). LmRATl'ttB.

— Schrndcr, COT; Dillnunn, (7«n<nf ; Delitacb, 0neit ; and Lit«rature of Sacrifice. W. P. Patkiwon. ABEL (Sjk), 'meadow.' — The name of various f)Iace8 in Pal. and Syria, situated by cultivalile ands. In cmo passage (1 S 0'") Abel slaiuls ap^Mircnfly for Eben (ItX), 'stone' (.see liV, AVm, La.X, and Tar.), applying to a 'great stone' at Bethsheiiiesh of Juilah. 1. Abcl-beth-maacah (AV maachah) (ii'S S:!

< n^yC), 'Abel of the House of Maachah' in Upjicr Galilee (2 S 2il'*- '»• '»), now 'Abil lyaiih, 'Abel of wheat.' on the plateau of the mountains a little \V. I of Tell el-Kai.li (Dan). It was taken by the Syrians in the 10th cent. n.c. (I K 15-^, 2 Ch 10'), and by the Assyrians about B.C. 732 (2 K 15-») {SIVI', vol. J. sheet ii.) 2. Abel-cheramim (ov7-ij Sjn), 'meadow of vine- yards' (Jg 11'°), on the Moab plateau near Minnith. 3.

Abel-maim (ovp '7;x), ' meadow of waters ' (2 Ch 16*), the same as No. 1. The mountains in this region are well watered, and the site noted for corn, as its modern name shows. 4. Abel-raeholah (nSino isn), 'meadow of the dance,' or of the ' circle ' (Jg 1^, 1 K 4" 19"), in the Jordan Valley near Bethshean. In the Uno-innsticon (s.v. Abel Maula) it is placed 10 Horn, miles from Scythopolis (Bethshean), which poiuls to the present 'Ain Helweh, or 'sweet spring,' near which is a ruined liioimd.

See SWP, vol. ii. sh. ix. 5. Abel-mizraim (onsP ''3k), ' meadow of Egyptians' (Gn 50"), or (with different points hzn for Sjn) ' moumin" of Egyptians.' There is a play on the word in this passage. It was between Egypt and Hebron, yet is described as ' beyond Jordan. It is difficult to suppose that such a route would be taken to Hebron, nor was the region bej'ond .lordan in Canaan. The site is unknown (see Atau). [See Delitzsch and Dillm. in loc; Driver, Deut. p. xliif., and Taylor in Expos.

Times (1896), vii. 407.] 6. Abel-shittim (D'wn S3K), 'meadow of acacias' (Nu 33*^), in other passages Shittim only (which see). The place is described as in the plains of Moab. The Jordan plain E. of the river, opposite Jericho, is the site now called GMr el SeisebAn, or ' valley of acacias.' The plain is well watered, and still dotted with acacias. (See SEP, vol. i. ) C. K. CONDER. ABHORRING In Is 66" ' abhorring ' means a thing that is abhorred, an abhorrence : ' They shall be an a.

unto all tlesh.' The same Heb word (\is-n) is tr. ' contempt ' in Dn 12^ ' Some to shame and everlasting contempt' (KVm ' abboi rence'). J. HASTINGS. ABI (•;«, probably = '(my) father' • ; LX.X 'A(9oi;) is the name of a queen-mollier of the 8th cent. (2 K 18') who is called Abijah in the parallel pa.s8age 2 Ch 29'. The reading in Kings is the most probable. Abi was daughter of Zecha'-ixh (? cf. Is 8'^), wife of Aliaz, and mother of Hezekiah. G. B. Gray.