אָבֵל כְּרָמִים
𐤀𐤁𐤋 𐤊𐤓𐤌𐤉𐤌
Avel Keramim
H64 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A place-name meaning 'meadow (or plain) of vineyards,' designating a specific locality mentioned in the Hebrew Bible east of the Jordan River. The term refers to an area characterized by meadows or open land suitable for vineyards. In its biblical context, the phrase functions as a geographic designation, likely referencing a notable landscape feature distinctive for its vineyards in a region otherwise dominated by grazing land or open plain.
Semantic Range
meadow of vineyards, plain of vineyards, a specific locale named for its vineyard meadows, agricultural plain distinguished by viticulture
Root / Etymology
Derived from the Hebrew noun אָבֵל (ʾāvēl), meaning 'meadow,' and the plural of כֶּרֶם (kerem), 'vineyard.' The compound construction indicates a place notable for or located in the meadows among vineyards. The root of אָבֵל (אבל) often conveys the idea of grassy plain or meadowland, while כֶּרֶם (כרם) comes from a root referring to a cultivated vineyard or orchard.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אָבֵל כְּרָמִים appears in Judges 11:33 as the easternmost point in the territory affected by Jephthah's campaign against the Ammonites. The use of 'meadow' (אָבֵל) in place-names frequently denotes an area of open grassland or flat terrain, sometimes in contrast to more rugged or mountainous regions. The additional כְּרָמִים ('vineyards') highlights the agricultural value of the area and indicates the prevalence of cultivated grapevines—an important economic feature in ancient Transjordan. This name is not indicative of any ethnic or religious demography but descriptive of topography and economic activity. English translations variously render the name as 'Abel-keramim,' 'meadow of vineyards,' or similar. Later English usage sometimes assimilates place-names as proper nouns (e.g. leaving the Hebrew name untranslated), while others attempt a descriptive translation, the accuracy of which depends on maintaining the agricultural and geographic nuance. No direct evidence exists for the location outside of the biblical text, but the phrase clearly identifies a distinct geographic setting with notable vineyards east of the Jordan during the pre-monarchic period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אָבֵל and the plural of כֶּרֶם; meadow of vineyards; Abel-Keramim, a place in Palestine; plain of the vineyards.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עול (ʿ-w-l) — to act unjustly, to be perverse, to deal unfairly
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5759 | עֲוִיל | their nursing infants |
| H5760 | עֲוִיל | unjust man |
| H5763 | עוּל | to suckle |
| H5764 | עוּל | nursing infant of |
| H5765 | עֲוַל | from injustice |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H64-01 |
אָבֵ֣ל | avel | HNp |
Abel | unjust | 1 |
H64-02 |
כְּרָמִ֔ים | keramim | HNp |
of the vineyards | vineyards | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H64-01 |
Judges 11:33 | אָבֵ֣ל | avel | HNp |
Abel | unjust |
H64-02 |
Judges 11:33 | כְּרָמִ֔ים | keramim | HNp |
of the vineyards | vineyards |