Ἀβειληνή G0009
Abilene; tetrarchy in the Anti-Lebanon region governed by Lysanias
Luke 3:1 provides precise chronological coordinates for John the Baptist's ministry: 'Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene.' This district took its name from Abila, a city in the Anti-Lebanon mountain range northwest of Damascus. Ancient inscriptions confirm a Lysanias ruling this territory in the early first century, validating Luke's historical precision. The term represents the Hellenistic administrative geography of the region—a tetrarchy (fourth part) carved from former Iturean holdings. Luke's geographical specificity grounds salvation history in concrete time and place.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The genitive form indicates territorial governance—'of Abilene'—situating this tetrarchy alongside Galilee, Iturea, and other political divisions. Inscriptional evidence has vindicated Luke's accuracy after earlier skepticism; a Lysanias did indeed govern Abilene in the relevant period. The district's name derives from Abila, its chief city, following the common pattern where territories take the name of their urban centers. French 'Abilène' and Spanish 'Abilēnḗ' preserve the Greek spelling, marking this as a firmly established geographical designation. 1×
AR["أَبِيلِينَةَ"]·ben["অবিলেনের"]·DE["Ἀβιληνῆς"]·EN["Abilēnē"]·FR["Abilène"]·heb["אַבִילֵנֵה"]·HI["अबीलीनिया"]·ID["itu"]·IT["abilenes"]·jav["Abiléné"]·KO["아빌리네-의"]·PT["Abilene"]·RU["Авилинеей"]·ES["Abilēnḗ"]·SW["Abilēnē"]·TR["Abilene"]·urd["ابلینہ-کے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
Ἀβειληνή (T, Rec. Ἀβι-), -ῆς, ἡ, (sc. χώρα), Abilene, a district in the Anti-Lebanon: Luk.3:1.† (From Abbott-Smith. LSJ has no entry)