Lexical Summary Abanah: Abanah Original Word: אֲבָנָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Abana Perhaps feminine of 'eben; stony; Abanah, a river near Damascus -- Abana. Compare 'Amanah. see HEBREW 'eben see HEBREW 'Amanah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originsee Amanah Definition a river near Damascus NASB Translation Abanah (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs אבנה Kt 2 Kings 5:12 see אֲמָנָה. אַבְנֵט see בנט. אַבְנֵר see אֲבִינֵר below II. אָבָה. Topical Lexicon Biblical Reference Abanah appears once in Scripture, in the words of the Aramean commander Naaman: “Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be cleansed?” (2 Kings 5:12). Geographical Setting Most scholars identify Abanah with the main watercourse that flows through Damascus—the modern Barada River—which rises in the Anti-Lebanon range and waters the Ghouta plain before dissipating into marshland. In antiquity this river made Damascus a flourishing oasis city. Its perennial flow, enhanced by snowmelt and springs, was harnessed by an extensive network of canals and qanats, some of which date back to the second millennium BC. The prosperity, fertility, and beauty of Damascus were tied to the Abanah, allowing Naaman plausibly to boast of its superiority over the smaller, intermittent watercourses of Israel. Historical Background 2 Kings 5 describes a period of uneasy peace punctuated by raids between Aram-Damascus and the northern kingdom of Israel during the ninth century BC. Naaman, a celebrated general under King Ben-Hadad II (often linked with Hadadezer), had won notable victories against Israel, yet suffered from the stigma of leprosy. His reference to Abanah reflects the civic pride of Damascenes whose wealth, agriculture, and defenses were literally fed by this river. That same pride stands in contrast to the humbled posture required for healing through the prophet Elisha’s instructions at the Jordan. The Role in the Naaman Narrative 1. Contrast of waters: Abanah symbolizes worldly impressiveness; the Jordan represents divine choice. Theological Themes • Grace over geography – God’s saving power is not confined to any cultural symbol of purity or superiority (Romans 3:29). Prophetic and Messianic Echoes Jesus references Naaman in Luke 4:27 to underscore that divine mercy often extends beyond Israel’s borders when His own people display unbelief. Thus Abanah indirectly serves as a witness to God’s universal redemptive plan. Lessons for Ministry Today 1. Cultural prestige can obscure spiritual need; Abanah warns against trusting in the apparent sufficiency of human resources. Archaeological and Geographical Research Surveys in the Ghouta region have uncovered Iron-Age canal systems that confirm how integral the “rivers of Damascus” were to agriculture and defense. Ancient travelogues (e.g., Xenophon, Strabo) praise Damascus for its gardens and orchards, likely irrigated by Abanah’s carefully channeled waters. Such data corroborate the biblical portrayal of Damascus as a formidable and enviable city. See Also Pharpar (2 Kings 5:12); Jordan River (Joshua 3; Matthew 3); Naaman (2 Kings 5); Elisha (2 Kings 2–13); Living Water (John 4; Revelation 22). Forms and Transliterations אֲמָנָ֨ה אמנה ’ă·mā·nāh ’ămānāh amaNahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Kings 5:12 HEB: [אֲבָנָה כ] (אֲמָנָ֨ה ק) וּפַרְפַּ֜ר NAS: Are not Abanah and Pharpar, KJV: [Are] not Abana and Pharpar, rivers INT: not better Abana and Pharpar the rivers 1 Occurrence |
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