cabul Summary and Overview

how little! as nothing. (1.) A town on the eastern border of Asher (Josh. 19:27), probably one of the towns given by Solomon to Hiram; the modern Kabul, some 8 miles east of Accho, on the very borders of Galilee. (2.) A district in the north-west of Galilee, near to Tyre, containing twenty cities given to Hiram by Solomon as a reward for various services rendered to him in building the temple (1 Kings 9:13), and as payment of the six score talents of gold he had borrowed from him. Hiram gave the cities this name because he was not pleased with the gift, the name signifying "good for nothing." Hiram seems afterwards to have restored these cities to Solomon (2 Chr. 8:2).

1. One of the landmarks on the boundary of Asher, #Jos 19:27| now Kabul, 9 or 10 miles east of Accho. 2. Name of the land given to Hiram by Solomon. #1Ki 9:10-13|

On the boundary of Asher (Joshua 19:27). Solomon gave to Hiram a district containing 20 cities, Cabal included. Not liking the district, Hiram said, "What, kind of cities are these?" and called the whole from the one city Cabul, which in Phoenician means displeasing (1 Kings 9:13). From 2 Chronicles 8:2 it seems that Hiram restored the 20 cities. The district was "Galilee of the Gentiles" (Isaiah 9:1), i.e. the N. part of Galilee, only in part occupied by Israel, more completely so after Hiram restored the cities. Tiglath Pileser carried the inhabitants captive to Assyria (2 Kings 15:29). The cities were occupied chiefly by Canaanite pagans (2 Samuel 24:7), and were in a bad condition. Gesenius explains Cabul "the pawned land." Solomon borrowed sixscore talents of gold from Hiram for his extensive buildings, and gave the 20 cities as an equivalent. But on Hiram expressing dissatisfaction with them, he took them back, and, doubtless in course of time, repaid the gold.