Lo-debar explained

Lo-debar was a town in the Old Testament in Gilead not far from Mahanaim, north of the Jabbok river (Samuel 9:4-5)^[1] in ancient Israel. It is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as the home of Machir, a contemporary of David. (2 Samuel 9:4,5).

Lo-debar was also considered a ghetto town in biblical times. Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan was living in Lo-debar at the house of Machir, son of Ammiel, who was possibly a brother to David's wife Bathsheba (see 1 Chronicles 3 verse 5). King David showed loving kindness to Jonathan's son Mephibosheth by bringing him from Lo-debar and having him eat at the King's table regularly. (2 Samuel 9:1-13).

It is usually believed to be the same as Debir in the Tribe of Gad.(Joshua 13:26) The word means "no pasture,"(Samuel 17:27) "no word" or "no communication".

Possible locations are:

1. Tel Dover (Khirbet ed-Duweir) in the mouth of Yarmouk River.^[2] Established as an Iron Age fortified settlement.^[3]
2. Khirbet Umm ed-Dabar, Jordan Valley.^[4]

References

Notes and References

1. Lo-debar.
2. Book: Arav, Rami . Eisenbrauns . 9781575061429 . Cities Through the Looking Glass: Essays on the History and Archaeology of Biblical Urbanism . 2008-01-01 . 89.
3. Encyclopedia: Zvi Uri . Ma'oz . The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East . Golan . 1997 . 0195112156 . 420.
4. Encyclopedia: Amsterdam University Press. 9789053565032. Freedman. David Noel. Allen C. Myers . Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. 2000-12-31. Debir (place). 331.