So Ben-ha'dad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-beth-ma'achah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
Ijon. Dr. Robinson, who was the first to identify the site of this place, describes it thus ('Biblical Researches,'
iii., p. 346) - 'West of Wady et-Teim, between it and the Litany, lies the fine region of Merj 'Ayun, separated from the Teim by a range of hills. It is an oval, or almost circular basin, about an hour in diameter-a beautiful, fertile, well-watered plain, surrounded by hills, which in some parts are high but mostly arable. On the north they retain this character quite to the brow of the descent toward the Litany. Toward the south, Merj 'Ayun communicates with the plain of the Huleh by a narrow entrance, through which flows a stream. Merj 'Ayun forms a district within the government of Belad Besharah-a large province occupying the mountains between the Huleh and the plain of Tyre, and having for its capital the castle of Tibrun.'
Dan - (see the notes at Joshua 19:47; Judges 18:29.)
Abel-beth-maachah (see the notes at 2 Samuel 20:14-19) - called, Abel-maim, 2 Chronicles 16:4, and by Josephus Abel-beth-maachah (see the notes at 2 Samuel 20:14-19) - called, Abel-maim, 2 Chronicles 16:4, and by Josephus ('Antiquities,' b. 8:, ch. 12:, sec. 4), Abellare.
All Cinneroth - elsewhere Chinneroth, a northern district of Palestine, which probably took its name from its contiguity to the lake. It lay north of Tiberias, and was known in later times as 'the plain of Gennesareth,' or, as designated by Josephus, 'the country of Genneasr.'
With all the land of Naphtli. ...