Atomic Bible

A river of Damascus, preferred by Naaman over the Jordan.

Abana

Named in 1 verse of 2 Kings, first in 2 Kings 5:12.

אֲבָנָהAbana

אֲמָנָהAmana

Also called Amana.

The name means “made of stone; a building.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869

About Abana Written by AI

The Abana River is mentioned in 2Ki.5.12 as one of the two rivers of Damascus, along with the Pharpar. When Elisha told Naaman, commander of the army of Syria, to wash in the Jordan River to cure his leprosy, Naaman initially refused, saying, "Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" The Abana was apparently a significant and highly regarded river near Damascus. Naaman considered it superior to the Jordan River of Israel. After his servants reasoned with him, Naaman relented and washed in the Jordan as instructed, and his leprosy was cured. The Abana River is generally identified with the modern Barada River, the primary river that flows through Damascus.

Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.

Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897

Stony (Heb. marg. “Amanah,” perennial), the chief river of Damascus (2 Kings 5:12). Its modern name is Barada, the Chrysorrhoas, or “golden stream,” of the Greeks. It rises in a cleft of the Anti-Lebanon range, about 23 miles north-west of Damascus, and after flowing southward for a little way parts into three smaller streams, the central one flowing through Damascus, and the other two on each side of the city, diffusing beauty and fertility where otherwise there would be barrenness.

M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.

33.545, 36.225 See it on a map

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Where the Bible names it

  1. 2 Kings 5:12

    Are not the Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not have washed in them and been cleansed?” So he turned and went away in a rage.

From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.