Abel

Abel appears as the first entry in the faith hall of fame, cited for offering a better sacrifice than Cain and being declared righteous by God — his story establishing that genuine worship, not mere ritual, is an act of faith.

Abel is referenced here because his shed blood cried out for vengeance, but Jesus's blood — unlike Abel's — speaks a better word: one of forgiveness and access rather than accusation.

Abel-keramim is a place name marking the extent of Jephthah's military campaign — the far boundary of the twenty-city defeat he inflicted on the Ammonites.

Abel-meholah is a place name here, not the biblical person — it marks the far boundary of the Midianite retreat, showing how completely and how far the routed army fled from Gideon's 300.

Abel appears as the prototype of the righteous person whose faithfulness provokes hatred from the wicked — John uses him to explain why the world pushes back against genuine believers.

Abel-maim is one of Israel's northern cities that Ben-hadad attacks after accepting Asa's bribe, forcing Baasha to abandon his Ramah blockade — part of the military domino effect Asa's deal set in motion.