Abel

Abel [Heb. hebel, "vanity/futility," or 'abel, "meadow"]. A personal name and a place name.

1. Abel (hebel) is the name of the second son of Adam and Eve. The name anticipates the futility of his violent death without descendants and, indeed, the futility of everything in the absence of divine judgment (Eccl 12:8, 13-14). Abel brought an offering of the firstborn of his flocks. His elder brother Cain brought an offering from the crops he had grown. Yahweh accepted Abel's offering but rejected Cain's offering (Gen 4:1-5; Heb 11:4). In a jealous rage Cain killed Abel (Gen 4:6-8). Rebellion had escalated from the failure to offer the appropriate sacrifice to the murder of a brother. This murder becomes the prototype of every future murder of a prophet (Matt 23:34-35; Luke 11:49-51). The blood of Abel cried out to Yahweh for justice (Gen 4:10). In this it becomes a type of the better blood of Jesus that speaks by contrast to the mercy of the new covenant (Heb 12:24).

2. Abel ('abel) is the name or part of a name for several cities: Abel Mitsrayim (Gen 50:11); a city in northern Israel near Beth Maacah (2 Sam 20:14), renowned as a place for the resolution of disputes (2 Sam 20:18); Abel Acacia Grove in the plains of Moab (Num 33:49); Abel Keramim in Ammon (Judges 11:33); and Elisha's birthplace, Abel Meholah (2 Kgs 19:16).