Lo-Debar

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LO-DEBAR

LO-DEBAR (Heb. לִדְבִר ,לוֹ דְבָר ,לֹא דְבָר), city on the border of Gad in the northern part of Gilead (Josh. 13:26; Lidbir). Mephibosheth son of Jonathan lived there when Saul's family fled to Gilead after the disastrous battle at Mt. Gilboa (ii Sam. 9:4ff.). Lo-Debar apparently fell into the hands of the Arameans during their wars with Israel and was recovered by Jeroboam (cf. Amos 6:13 where the name is translated as "a thing of nought"). The ancient name may be preserved in Umm al-Dabr in the eastern Jordan Valley 10 mi. (16 km.) south of the Sea of Galilee.

bibliography:

Abel, Geog, 2 (1938), 304, 370; M. Noth, in: pjb, 37 (1941), 87; Press, Ereẓ, 3 (19562), 517; em, 4 (1962), 409–10.

[Michael Avi-Yonah]

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