Elealeh

Elealeh (Ἐλεάλη), a town of the Reubenites, situated, according to Eusebius, in Gilead, and one mile distant from Heshbon, the capital of Sihon, king of the Amorites. It was in his time a very large village (κώμη μεγίστη, Onomast. s. v.). It is always mentioned in connection with Heshbon. (Numb. 32.3, 37; Is. 15.4, 16.9; Jerem. 48.34.) It was first identified in modern times by Seetzen, in a ruined site named El-Âl, half an hour north-east of Hesbân, the old Heshbon. It was also visited by Burckhardt, who writes it Et-Aal, and thus describes it (Travels, p. 365): It stands upon the summit of a hill, and takes its name from its situation,--Aal meaning the high. It commands the whole plain, and the view from the top of the hill is very extensive..... El Aal was surrounded by a well-built wall, of which some parts yet remain. Among the ruins are a number of large cisterns, fragments of walls, and the foundations of houses; but nothing worth particular notice.

[G.W]