And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the Lord: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite. (1 Samuel 6:18)
Literally, “the great Abel upon which they caused the ark of the Lord to rest.” The words “stone of” are supplied. Most commentators are of the opinion that the word ’abel should have been ’eben, “stone.” The word ’abel is from the verb ’abal, “to mourn,” but also means “stream,”“brook,” or “meadow.” Aside from use in compound names of various cities, such as Abel-bethmaachah (2 Kings 15:29), Abel-maim (2 Chron. 16:4) etc., it appears but once elsewhere. In Judges 11:33 it is translated “the plain of the vineyards,” where the RSV translates it “Abel-keramim,” as another city name. In the verse under consideration ’abel is not compounded with any other word, but is qualified by the adjective “great.” Inasmuch as vs. 14 and 15 refer to the great ’eben, “stone,” on which the ark was placed, and inasmuch as vs. 17 and 18 recount the memorials of this event, it seems evident that the stone in Joshua’s field is simply noted along with these other memorials.