Lo-debar (Biblical Hebrew: לֹא דְבָר, לוֹ דְבָר, romanized: lōʾ dǝbār[a]) was a town in the Old Testament in Gilead not far from Mahanaim, north of the Jabbok river (2 Samuel 9:4–5)[1] in ancient Israel. It is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as the home of Machir, a contemporary of David. (2 Samuel 9:4,5).
Lo-debar was also considered a ghetto town in biblical times. Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan was living in Lo-debar at the house of Machir, son of Ammiel, who was possibly a brother to David's wife Bathsheba (see 1 Chronicles 3 verse 5). King David showed loving kindness to Jonathan's son Mephibosheth by bringing him from Lo-debar and having him eat at the King's table regularly. (2 Samuel 9:1-13).
It is usually believed to be the same as Debir in the Tribe of Gad.(Joshua 13:26) The word means "no pasture,"(2 Samuel 17:27) "no word" or "no communication".
Possible locations are:
- Tel Dover (Khirbet ed-Duweir) in the mouth of Yarmouk River.[2] Established as an Iron Age fortified settlement.[3]
- Khirbet Umm ed-Dabar, Jordan Valley.[4]