Carmel: A park; generally with the article, "the park."1. A prominent headland of Central Palestine, consisting of several
connected hills extending from the plain of Esdraelon to the
sea, a distance of some 12 miles or more. At the east end, in
its highest part, it is 1,728 feet high, and at the west end it
forms a promontory to the bay of Acre about 600 feet above the
sea. It lay within the tribe of Asher. It was here, at the east
end of the ridge, at a place called el-Mukhrakah (i.e., the
place of burning), that Elijah brought back the people to their
allegiance to God, and slew the prophets of Baal
(1 Kings 18:1)ff
Here were consumed the "fifties" of the royal guard; and here
also Elisha received the visit of the bereaved mother whose son
was restored by him to life
(2 Kings 4:25-37) "No mountain in or
around Palestine retains its ancient beauty so much as Carmel.
Two or three villages and some scattered cottages are found on
it; its groves are few but luxuriant; it is no place for crags
and precipices or rocks of wild goats; but its surface is
covered with a rich and constant verdure." "The whole
mountain-side is dressed with blossom, and flowering shrubs, and
fragrant herbs." The western extremity of the ridge is, however,
more rocky and bleak than the eastern. The head of the bride in
(The Song of Solomon 7:5) is compared to Carmel. It is ranked with Bashan on
account of its rich pastures
(Isaiah 33:9; Jeremiah 50:19; Amos 1:2) The
whole ridge is deeply furrowed with rocky ravines filled with
dense jungle. There are many caves in its sides, which at one
time were inhabited by swarms of monks. These caves are referred
to in
(Amos 9:3) To them Elijah and Elisha often resorted
(1 Kings 18:19,42; 2 Kings 2:25) On its north-west summit there is an
ancient establishment of Carmelite monks. Vineyards have
recently been planted on the mount by the German colonists of
Haifa. The modern Arabic name of the mount is Kurmul, but more
commonly Jebel Mar Elyas, i.e., Mount St. Elias, from the
Convent of Elias.
2. A town in the hill country of Judah
(Joshua 15:55) the residence of
Nabal
(1 Samuel 25:2,5,7,40) and the native place of Abigail, who
became David's wife
(1 Samuel 27:3) Here king Uzziah had his vineyards
(2 Chronicles 26:10) The ruins of this town still remain under the name of
Kurmul, about 10 miles south-south-east of Hebron, close to
those of Maon.
