IBLEAM

IBLEAM (Heb. יִבְלְעָם), city located in the part of the tribal district of Issachar which was held by Manasseh (Josh. 17:11). According to Judges 1:27 it was tributary to the Israelites and not actually conquered by them. Ibleam is already mentioned in the list of cities captured by Thutmose iii (c. 1469 b.c.e.) where it appears (no. 43) after Taanach. It is included in the list of levitical cities (Bileam, i Chron. 6:55) but in the parallel list it is replaced by Gath-Rimmon (Josh. 21:25). In his flight from Jezreel, Ahaziah, king of Judah, was killed "at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam" (ii Kings 9:27); King Zechariah of Israel was killed by Shallum in Ibleam according to the Lucian version of the Septuagint (ii Kings 15:10). Belmain (Ibleam) is mentioned in Judith 4:4 and 7:3 as a place near Dothan. In crusader times Castellum Beleismum was part of the principality of Galilee. The name Ibleam is preserved in Wadi and Tell Balameh, 12½ mi. (20 km.) south of Afulah. On the large tell which guards the ascent to the valley of Dothan, sherds were found dating from the Early Bronze to Iron Age (Israelite period) and a rock-hewn tunnel leading to a spring at the foot of the tell.

bibliography:

G. Schumacher, in: pefqs, 42 (1910), 107–12; W.F. Albright, in: basor, 19 (1925), 8; 35 (1929), 8; Yeivin, in: Journalof Egyptian Archeology, 36 (1950), 54, 58; Abel, Geog, 2 (1938), 357; em, 2 (1964), 594–5.

[Michael Avi-Yonah]