Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
A plain, a district lying on the east slope of the Anti-Lebanon range; so called from its chief town, Abila (Luke 3:1), which stood in the Suk Wady Barada, between Heliopolis (Baalbec) and Damascus, 38 miles from the former and 18 from the latter. Lysanias was governor or tetrarch of this province.
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
(land of meadows), (Luke 3:1) a city situated on the eastern slope of Antilibanus, in a district fertilized by the river Barada (Abana). The city was 18 miles from Damascus, and stood in a remarkable gorge called Suk Wady Barada .
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
ABILE'NE (from Abila), a small district of Palestine on the eastern slopes of Anti-Libanus, of which Abila on the river Barada was the capital. It was governed by Lysanias in the time of John the Baptist. Luke 3:1.
Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869)
the father of mourning