IBLEAM

(Ibʹle·am) [possibly from a root meaning “swallow down”].

A city in the territory of Issachar but assigned with its dependent towns to Manasseh. The Manassites, however, failed to dispossess the Canaanites from Ibleam. (Jos 17:11-13; Jg 1:27) Ibleam appears to be the same as the Bileam in Manasseh given to the Kohathite Levites. (1Ch 6:70) But the parallel passage mentioning Levite cities in the territory of the half tribe of Manasseh (Jos 21:25) reads “Gath-rimmon” instead of “Bileam” or “Ibleam.” Generally this is attributed to scribal error, “Gath-rimmon,” the name of a city in Dan, probably having been inadvertently repeated from verse 24.

Ibleam has been identified with Khirbet Belʽameh, about 18 km (11 mi) SSE of Megiddo.

Near Ibleam, King Ahaziah of Judah was fatally struck down at the command of Jehu. (2Ki 9:27) Later, Jehu’s dynasty ended with the assassination of Zechariah at Ibleam (according to the Lagardian edition of the LXX).​—2Ki 15:10-12, JB, NW, RS.