The philosophy and theology of Abelard have been recently brought into notice anew; in fact, the means of studying them fully have only of late been afford- ed by the following publications, viz. : Abaelai'di Epit- ome Theologian Christiana; nunc primum edidit F. H. Rheinwald (Berlin, 1835) ; Cousin's edition of his Ou- trages inedits (Paris, 1836. 4to); by the excellent Vie cT Abelard, par C. Remusat (Paris, 1845. 2 vols.); and by P. Abaelardi Sic ct X«n, primum ed. Henke et Lindenkohl (Marburg, 1851, 8vo). The professedly complete edition of his works by Amboesius (Paris, 1616, 4to) does not contain the Sic et Non. Migne's edition (Patrologice, torn. 178) is expurgated of certain anti-papal tendencies. A complete edition in three vols. 4to, was begun in 1859 by MM. Cousin, Jour- dain, and Despois. See Berington, History and Let- ters of Abelard and Heloise (Lond. 1784, 4to); Nean- der, Ch. Hist, iv, 373 ; Meth. Quar. Review, articles In- stauratio Nova, Jv\y and Oct. 1853 ; Bobringer, Kir- cheng. in Biog. vol. iv; Presb. Quarterly, Philada. 1858 (two admirable articles, containing the best view of Abelard's life and philosophy anywhere to be found in small compass) ; The English Cyclop. ; Wight, Ro- mance of Abelard and Heloise (N. Y. 1853, 12mo) ; Guizot, Essai sur Abelard et Heloise (Paris, 1839); Edinb. Rev. xxx, 352 ; Westm. Rev. xxxii, 146.
A'bel-beth-ma'achah (Ileb. Abel' Beyth-Maa- hah', fcr^-mS biX, Abel of Beih-Maachah ; Sept. A/3i\ o'/ray Mox« in 1 Kings XV, 20, A/3tX Bai9/ja- axd v. r. Ocipaaxd in 2 Kings xv, 29), a city in the north of Palestine, in the neighborhood of Dan, Ka- desh, and Hazor. It seems to have been of considera- ble strength from its history, and of importance from its being called "a mother in Israel" (2 Sam. xx, 19), i. e., a metropolis ; for the same place is doubtless there meant, although peculiarly expressed (ver. 14, rt5^!< FDSB tVQI, toward Abel and Beth-Maachah, Sept. eig 'AftiX mi a'c Bai0/<«\'rf, Vulg. in Abelam et Beth- Maacha, Auth. Vers, "unto Abel and to Beth-Maa- chah;" ver. is, nzran nia n^xa, »'» AbeM of
the house o/Maachah, Sept. tv 'A/3t\ Bai0/i«x«i VulS- in Abela et, in Beth-maacha, Auth. Vers, "in Abel of Beth-maachah"). See Beth-MAACHAH. The same place is likewise once denoted simply by Adel (2 Sam. xx, 18) ; and in the parallel passage (2 Chron. xvi, 4),
ABEL-CERAMIM
12
ABEL-MIZRAIM
Abel-maim, -which indicates the proximity of a foun- tain or of springs from which the meadow, doubtless, derived its verdure. See Abel-. The addition of "Maaehah" marks it as belonging to, or being near to, the region Maachah, which lay eastward of the Jordan under Mount Lebanon. See Maacah. It was besieged by Joab on account of its having shel- tered Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite, who had rebelled against David; but was saved from an as- sault by the prudence of a "wise woman" of the place, who persuaded the men to put the traitor to death, and to throw his head over the wall; upon which the siege was immediately raised (2 Sam. xx, 14-22). At a later date it was taken and sacked by Benhadad, king of Syria ; and 200 years subsequent- ly by Tiglath-pileser, who sent away the inhabitants captives into Assyria (2 Kings xx, 29). The name Belmen (BsXfiiv), mentioned in Judith (iv, 4), has been thought a corruption of Abel-maim; but the place there spoken of appears to have been much more southward. Josephus {Ant. vii, 11, 7) calls it Abel- machea CAj3iXi.iaxta), or (Ant. viii, 12, 4) Abellane C AjiiXXiwii) ; and Theodoret (Qua>st. 39 in 2 Reg.} says it was still named Abela (AfiiXci). Eeland (Palest. p. 520) thinks it is the third of the cities called Abela mentioned by Eusebius (Onomast.) as a Phoenician city between Damascus and Paneas; but Gesenius (Thes. Heb. p. 15) objects that it need not be located in Gali- lee (Harenberg, in the Nov. Miscel. Lips, iv, 470), and is, therefore, disposed to locate it farther north. See Abila. Calmet thinks it, in like manner, the same with Abila of Lysanias. But this position is incon- sistent with the proximity to Dan and other cities of Naphtali, implied in the Biblical accounts. It was suggested by Dr. Robinson (Eeseai-ches, iii, Appendix, p. 137) that Abil el-Karub, in the region of the Upper Jordan, is the ancient Abel-Beth-Maachah ; this con- clusion has recently been confirmed almost to certain- ty by Mr. Thomson (Bibliothecn Sacra, 1846, p. 202). It is so productive in wheat as to be called likewise Abel el-Kamch (ib. p. 204). This place "is situated on the west side of the valley and stream that descends from Merj-Ayun toward the Huleh, and below the opening into the Merj. It lies on a very distinctly marked tell, consisting of a summit, with a large offset from it on the south" (Rev. E. Smith, ib. p. 214). It is now an inconsiderable village, occupying part of the long oval mound (Thomson, Land and Book, i, 324 sq.). This identification essentially agrees with that of Schwarz (Palest, p. G5), although he seeks to find in this vicinity three towns of the name of Abel [Palest, p. 203), for the purpose of accommodating cer- tain Rabbinical notices. (See Eeineccius, De urbe Abel, Weissenfels, 1725.)
A'bel-cera'mim (Heb. Abel' Keramim'. ^2i< b^XHS, meadow of vineyards; Sept. 'AfiiX dfjnrtXwvwv; Vulg. Abel awe est vineis consita; Auth. Vers, "plain of the vineyards"), a village of the Ammonites whither the victorious Jephthah pursued their invading forces with great slaughter; situate, apparently, between Aroer and Minnith (Judg. xi, 33). According to Eu- sebius (Onomast. " AfiiX), it was still a place rich in vineyards, (5 (Jerome 7) Roman miles from Philadel- phia or Rabbath-Ammon ; probably in a south-west- erly direction, and perhaps at the present ruins Merj (meadow) Ekkeh. The other "wine-bearing" village Abel mentioned by Eusebius, 12 If. miles E. of Ga- dara, is probably the modern Abil (Ritter, Erdk. xv, 1058); but cannot be the place in question, as it lies north of Gilead, which Jephthah passed through on his way south from Manasseh by the way of the Up- per Jordan. Sec Abila.