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'[[File:Turfmarkt 60, Turfmarkt kerk. Gevelsteen.jpg|thumb|[[Gouda, South Holland|Gouda]], [[Netherlands]]]] [[File:P1250035.JPG|thumb|Inscription: Eben-Ezer on the {{illm|Matthaus Frank House|he|בית פרנק}}, today #6 [[Emek Refaim|Emek Refaim Street]] in [[Jerusalem]]]] '''Eben-Ezer''' ({{Lang-he|אבן העזר}}, ''’eḇen hā-‘āzer'', "the stone of help") is the name of a location that is mentioned by the [[Books of Samuel]] as the scene of battles between the [[Israelites]] and [[Philistines]]. It is specified as having been less than a day's journey by foot from [[Shiloh (biblical city)|Shiloh]], near [[Aphek (biblical)|Aphek]], in the neighbourhood of [[Mizpah in Benjamin|Mizpah]], near the western entrance of the pass of [[Bethoron]]. However, its location has not been identified in modern times with much certainty, with some identifying it with [[Beit Iksa]], and others with [[Dayr Aban]].<ref>C.R. Conder, "Notes from the Memoir", [[Palestine Exploration Fund#Palestine Exploration Quarterly|''Palestine Exploration Quarterly'']], vol. 18, London 1876, p. 149; Conder & Kitchener, ''The Survey of Western Palestine'', vol. iii (Judaea), London 1883, p. 24</ref> == Historical mentions == It appears in the Books of Samuel in two narratives: *In the first narrative ({{bibleverse|1|Samuel|4:1-11|HE}}), the Philistines defeat the Israelites, even though the Israelites brought the [[Ark of the Covenant]] onto the battlefield in hope of it bringing them a divinely assured victory. As a result of the Philistine victory and the Ark's presence on the battlefield, [[Philistine captivity of the Ark|it was captured by the Philistines]], and not returned until many months later [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%206:1-2&version=NIV (1 Samuel 6:1-2)]. *In the second narrative ({{bibleverse|1|Samuel|7:2-14|HE}}), the Israelites defeat the Philistines, after Samuel has offered a sacrifice. Samuel puts up a stone in memorial and names it ''Eben-Ezer'' (the placename in the previous narrative resulting from this). This monument is referred to in the hymn ''[[Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Here I Raise My Ebenezer!|url=http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=11&article=909|publisher=Apologeticspress.org|accessdate=4 April 2012}}</ref> == Modern-day placement == It is currently accepted among many Israeli archaeologists and historians to place the Eben-Ezer of the first narrative in the immediate neighborhood of modern-day [[Kafr Qasim]], near [[Antipatris]] (ancient city [[Aphek (biblical)|Aphek]]), while the second battle's location is deemed to be insufficiently well-defined in the Biblical text. The other proposed site is called "'''Isbet Sartah'''".<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kochavi|first1=Moshe|title=The History and Archeology of Aphek-Antipatris: A Biblical City in the Sharon Plain|journal=Biblical Archaeologist|date=1981|volume=44|issue=2|pages=75–86|jstor=3209863}}</ref><ref>[http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/EbenEzer.html Location and map of Izbet Zartta or Eben-Ezer]</ref> Some scholars hold that there were more than one Aphek. [[Claude Reignier Conder|C.R. Conder]] identified the Aphek of Eben-Ezer<ref>The account in 1 Samuel 4:1 of the battle at Aphek and Eben-ezer</ref> with a ruin (''Khirbet'') some {{convert|6|km|mi|order=flip}} distant from [[Dayr Aban]] (believed to be Eben-Ezer), and known by the name ''Marj al-Fikiya''; the name ''al-Fikiya'' being an Arabic corruption of Aphek.<ref>{{cite journal |last=North |first=Robert |title= Ap(h)eq(a) and ‘Azeqa|journal= Biblica|volume= 41|issue= 1|pages= 61–63 |jstor= 42637769|date=1960}}</ref> [[Eusebius]], when writing about Eben-ezer in his ''Onomasticon'', says that it is "the place from which the Gentiles seized the Ark, between Jerusalem and Ascalon, near the village of Bethsamys (Beit Shemesh)",<ref>''Eusebius Werke'', Erich Klostermann (ed.), Leipzig 1904, p. 33,24.</ref> a locale that corresponds with Conder's identification. The same site, near Beth Shemesh, has also been identified by [[Epiphanius of Salamis|Epiphanius]] as being Eben-ezer.<ref>''Epiphanius' Treatise on Weights and Measures - The Syriac Version'' (ed. James Elmer Dean), University of Chicago Press 1935, p. 73 (§ 68)</ref> == See also == *[[Song of Moses]] *[[Ebenezer (given name)]] == References == {{Reflist}} == External links == {{Commonscatinline|Eben Ezer churches}} * {{Cite AmCyc|wstitle=Ebenezer |short=x}} * {{Cite Collier's|wstitle=Ebenezer |short=x}} {{Ark of the Covenant}} [[Category:Hebrew Bible places]] [[Category:Books of Samuel]]'