Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Brightness, a place some 11 miles north-east of Shechem, on the road to Scythopolis, the modern Tabas. Abimelech led his army against this place, because of its participation in the conspiracy of the men of Shechem; but as he drew near to the strong tower to which its inhabitants had fled for safety, and was about to set fire to it, a woman cast a fragment of millstone at him, and “all to brake his skull” i.e., “altogether brake,” etc.
His armourbearer thereupon “thrust him through, and he died” (Judg. 9:50-55).
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
(conspicuous), a place memorable for the death of the brave Abimelech, (Judges 9:50) was known to Eusebius and Jerome, in whose time it was situated “in the district of Neapolis,” 13 Roman miles therefrom, on the road to Scythopolis. There it still is, its name—Tubas—hardly changed.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
THE'BEZ (brightness), the town where Abimelech was killed. Jud 9:50; 2 Sam 11:21. It is now Tubas, a place 11 miles north-east of Shechem (Nablus), on the road to Beth-shean (Beinan). It is a handsome village, situated in the midst of groves of olive trees, on the west slope of a basin, but possessing no spring.
Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869)
muddy; eggs; fine linen or silk