| II Samuel 20:14
| Now he had passed through all the tribes of Israel unto Abela and Bethmaacha: and all the chosen men were gathered together unto him.
| Tribes, north-west of the Jordan. (Calmet) --- Abela and Bathmaacha. Cities of the tribe of Nephtali. (Challoner) --- The former is called simply Abel (4 Kings 15:29.; Calmet) as it is here by the Protestant version. (Haydock) --- It is also called Abyla, (Luke 3:1,) and Hoba, (Genesis 14:15.; Calmet) between Damascus and Paneas, (Eusebius) situated on the borders of Syria, as well as Beth Maaca, or "the canton of Maacha," or Machati, Josue 12:5. --- Chosen. Hebrew Berim, (which is translated "Berites," by the Protestants.; Haydock) is derived from Bara, "to choose," by St. Jerome. Septuagint have read áirim, "cities." Some suppose that the inhabitants of Bahurim (near Mount Ephraim, ver. 21, where Semei, a relation of Saul, and many disaffected people resided) shut themselves up with him in Abela.
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