Aijalon
Aijalon [1]
ā´ja - lon ( איּלון , 'ayyālōn , "deerplace"; the King James Version, Ajalon ( Joshua 10:12 )):
(1) The name of a town allotted to the tribe of Dan ( Joshua 19:42 ), which was also designated a Levitical city ( Joshua 21:24 ), which fell to the Sons of Kohath ( 1 Chronicles 6:69 ). The first mention of Aijalon is in the narrative of Joshua's defeat of the five Amorite kings: "thou, Moon, in the valley of Aijalon" ( Joshua 10:12 ). The Danites failed to take it from the Amorites ( Judges 1:35 ), although the men of Ephraim held it in vassalage. Here Saul and Jonathan won a great victory over the Philistines ( 1 Samuel 14:31 ). At one time it was held by the tribe of Benjamin ( 1 Chronicles 8:13 ). Rehoboam fortified it against the kingdom of Israel ( 2 Chronicles 11:10 ). In the days of King Ahaz it was captured by the Philistines ( 2 Chronicles 28:18 ). It has been identified with the modern Yalo; its antiquity goes back to Tell el-Amarna Letters , in which it has mention. It Is situated Northwest of Jerusalem in a valley of the same name, which leads down from the mountains to the sea.
(2) A town in the tribe of Zebulun, site unknown, where Elon the judge was buried ( Judges 12:12 ).
