A ruin, a city of Naphtali, captured by Ben-hadad of Syria at the instance of Asa (1 Kings 15:20), and afterwards by Tiglath-pileser of Assyria (2 Kings 15:29) in the reign of Pekah; now el-Khiam.
Ijon
Ijon was a town in the far north of Israel, in the country of Naphtali, and Scripture mentions it when enemies come across the border. In the days of King Asa, Benhadad of Syria answered Asa’s call and sent his captains, who smote Ijon, Dan and other northern cities. Years later, in the time of Pekah, Tiglathpileser king of Assyria took Ijon along with Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead and Galilee, and carried the people captive to Assyria. So the same little town marks two sad moments, one of them an early blow and the other the start of exile. Read 2 Kings 15:29 to see the larger picture.
3 verses
1 Kings
1 Kings 15:20
So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
2 Kings
2 Kings 15:29
In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.
2 Chronicles
2 Chronicles 16:4
And Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.
From Easton's Bible Dictionary
Matthew George Easton, 1897
From Smith's Bible Dictionary
William Smith, 1884
(a ruin), a town in the north of Palestine, belonging to the tribe of Naphtali. It was taken and plundered by the captains of Ben-hadad, (1 Kings 15:20; 2 Chronicles 16:4) and a second time by Tiglath-pileser. (2 Kings 16:29) It was situated a few miles northwest of the site of Dan, in a fertile and beautiful little plain called Merj” Ayun .