<strong>AIJALON</strong> (ā'ja-lōn, Heb. <em>’ayyālôn, place of gazelles</em>)<br /><br />

A city of Dan (<bibleref ref="Josh.19.42">Josh.19.42</bibleref>), assigned to the Levite sons of Kohath (<bibleref ref="1Chr.6.69">1Chr.6.69</bibleref>). It is mentioned most notably in the memorable words of Joshua, “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon” (<bibleref ref="Josh.10.12">Josh.10.12</bibleref>). It is identified with the modern Yalo, fourteen miles (twenty-two km.) from Jerusalem, north of the Jaffa road.The burial place of the judge Elon, in Zebulun (<bibleref ref="Judg.12.12">Judg.12.12</bibleref>).<br /><br />

<strong>AIJALON</strong> <strong>ā’ jə lŏn</strong> (<span class="hebrew">אַיָּלֹֽון</span>, LXX <span class="greek">Αἰλών</span> <em>place of the deer</em>). Also <strong>AJALON ăj’ ă lŏn.</strong> 1. A town on a hill overlooking the Valley of Aijalon between Jericho and the <span class="auto-link">[[Mediterranean Sea]]</span> and known as Yalo in modern times. Some remains of the town from c. 2000 <span class="small-caps">b.c.</span> have been found at Tell el-Qoq’a. The town is mentioned in the 14th and 15th cent. <span class="small-caps">b.c.</span> Amarna letters as Aialuna (e.g. EA, no. 273).<br /><br />

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2. A town in Zebulun, mentioned only in <bibleref ref="Judg.12.12">Judges 12:12</bibleref>, the location of which is unknown. The judge Elon (<span class="hebrew">אַיָּלֹ֖ון</span>) is said to have been buried there. The LXX here translates <span class="greek">Αἰλὼμ</span>.

<h2>Bibliography</h2>

<em>HGHL</em> (1931<sup>25</sup>), passim; F. M. Abel, <em>Geographie de la Palestine,</em> II (1938), 241; GTT (1959), 205; Y. Aharoni, <em>The Land of the Bible</em> (1967), passim. On 2. see JPOS, IX (1929), 38ff.<br /><br />

<h2>International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)</h2>

(’ayyalon, "deerplace"; the <span class="auto-link">[[King James Version]]</span>, Ajalon (<bibleref ref="Josh.10.12">Jos 10:12</bibleref>)):

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(2) A town in the tribe of Zebulun, site unknown, where Elon the judge was buried (<bibleref ref="Judg.12.12">Jud 12:12</bibleref>).