### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʼâbêl**, represented by `{{H58}}`, is a specific geographical term for a **meadow** or **plain**. It is derived from an unused root word that means "to be grassy." This word is exceptionally rare, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire biblical text.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The single use of `{{H58}}` occurs in the context of a military victory. In the book of Judges, Jephthah leads the Israelites against the Ammonites and, after a vow to the LORD, strikes them down. The term is used to mark a location along the path of his conquest, "unto the **plain** of the vineyards," where a "very great slaughter" took place [[Judges 11:33]]. This specifies a landmark in the territory where the Ammonites were decisively subdued by Israel.
### Related Words & Concepts
The event described in the verse containing `{{H58}}` is further illuminated by related words that describe the action and its result:
* `{{H5221}}` **nâkâh** (to strike): This primitive root describes the act of striking, whether lightly or severely. It is the verb used to describe Jephthah's action when he **smote** the Ammonites [[Judges 11:33]]. The same word is used prophetically to describe the suffering servant as **smitten** of God [[Isaiah 53:4]].
* `{{H4347}}` **makkâh** (a blow, slaughter): Derived from `{{H5221}}`, this noun signifies the result of being struck, such as a wound, plague, or carnage. In [[Judges 11:33]], it describes the "very great **slaughter**" of the Ammonites. It is similarly used to describe the LORD's decisive victory at Gibeon as a "great **slaughter**" [[Joshua 10:10]].
### Theological Significance
While `{{H58}}` is a simple geographical term, its sole appearance gives it theological weight through its context.
* **Marker of Divine Judgment:** The word pinpoints a location, "the plain of the vineyards," that becomes a scene of divine judgment. The "great slaughter" `{{H4347}}` that occurred there was the fulfillment of God's promise to deliver the Ammonites into Jephthah's hands [[Judges 11:33]].
* **A Stage for God's Action:** The term grounds a pivotal moment of Israel's history in a tangible place. A simple meadow or plain becomes the stage where the power of God is demonstrated, resulting in the enemies of Israel being "subdued before the children of Israel" [[Judges 11:33]].
* **Context of Conflict:** Though a neutral term, the use of `{{H58}}` within a narrative of conflict shows how ordinary features of the landscape are imbued with meaning by the divine and historical events that take place on them.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H58}}` **ʼâbêl** provides a specific term for a "plain" or "meadow." Although it appears only once, its placement in the biblical narrative is significant. It is not a theological concept in itself, but it serves as a critical landmark in [[Judges 11:33]], anchoring the story of a decisive battle and divine intervention to a physical location. This demonstrates how even the rarest of biblical words contributes to the texture of the scriptural account, linking God's actions to the real-world geography of His people.
TRV