Aijalon

biblical_place_name theological_term standard

Aijalon is a biblical town and valley in the hill country west of Jerusalem. It is especially remembered in Joshua 10, where the Valley of Aijalon is named in the account of Israel’s victory.

At a Glance

Aijalon was a real geographic location in biblical Israel, not a theological concept.

Key Points

Town and valley in central Israel
linked with Dan and later Judah
named in Joshua 10
appears in tribal, Levitical, and military contexts
remembered for the “sun stood still” account.

Description

Aijalon is a geographic place name in the Old Testament, referring to both a town and the adjacent valley in the western hill-country region of ancient Israel. The location appears in passages related to tribal inheritance, Levitical cities, and later military events. It is most widely known from Joshua 10, where the Valley of Aijalon is mentioned in the narrative of Israel’s victory over the Amorite coalition. Because Aijalon is a place name, dictionary treatment should focus on its biblical setting, location, and narrative significance rather than on doctrinal meaning.

Biblical Context

Aijalon is associated with the tribal allotments of Dan and with Levitical assignments. It also appears in narratives about conflict and territorial control, showing that it was a significant point in the borderlands of Israel’s history.

Historical Context

The town and valley of Aijalon lay in a strategic corridor in the central highlands and western approaches. Its location made it important for travel, defense, and regional control in the period of the judges, the monarchy, and later conflicts.

Jewish and Ancient Context

In ancient Israelite memory, Aijalon functioned as a recognizable landmark and settlement in the land. Its mention in battle and boundary texts reflects the practical importance of place names in preserving covenant history and territorial identity.

Primary Key Texts

Joshua 10:12
Joshua 19:42
Joshua 21:24
Judges 1:35

Secondary Key Texts

1 Samuel 14:31
1 Chronicles 6:69
2 Chronicles 11:10
2 Chronicles 28:18

Original Language Note

The Hebrew form is commonly rendered Aijalon or Ajalon in older English versions. The name refers to a place rather than a person or abstract concept.

Theological Significance

Aijalon has no independent doctrinal meaning, but it matters as part of the Bible’s historical geography and as the setting of a notable act of divine intervention in Joshua 10.

Philosophical Explanation

As a place name, Aijalon shows how biblical revelation is rooted in real geography and historical events. The Bible’s theology is not detached from history; it is worked out in actual places and times.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not treat Aijalon as a symbolic or allegorical term unless a passage explicitly does so. The main issue in Joshua 10 is the Lord’s intervention in history, not the place name itself.

Major Views

There is no major interpretive dispute over whether Aijalon is a place; discussion usually concerns exact location, identification, and historical geography.

Doctrinal Boundaries

Aijalon should not be used to build doctrine on its own. Its value is historical and literary, supporting the Bible’s account of God’s dealings in real space and time.

Practical Significance

Aijalon reminds readers that Scripture is anchored in real places. Familiarity with biblical geography can make the historical narratives clearer and more vivid.

Related Entries

Joshua 10
Dan (tribe)
Levitical cities
historical geography
Amorites

Data

Machine-readable JSON for Aijalon