I don't believe that this Stone of Abel (v18) has anything to do with its namesake. After a little research, which is of course inconclusive, this is the same stone referred to in verses 14 & 15. And in these verses, this stone is 'Eben Gedolah' but was changed to 'Abel Gedolah', which is a play on the words so as to signify the great mourning of verses 19-21.
Remembering the great tragedy at the killing of Abel by his brother Cain, it was likened to the great lamentation over the loss of so many at Bethshemesh because of their sin of taking the Ark of the Covenant & peering into it. So this stone may have been the base of the Ark of the Covenant when it was returned to Israel but it had nothing to do with Abel, just a change of wording from a 'great stone' to a 'great Abel' in their deep sorrow.
Remembering the great tragedy at the killing of Abel by his brother Cain, it was likened to the great lamentation over the loss of so many at Bethshemesh because of their sin of taking the Ark of the Covenant & peering into it. So this stone may have been the base of the Ark of the Covenant when it was returned to Israel but it had nothing to do with Abel, just a change of wording from a 'great stone' to a 'great Abel' in their deep sorrow.
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