A river of Damascus, made memorable on account of Naaman's leprosy. Its name is compounded of Aben, a stone, and Bana, to build. The Syrian prided himself on the greatness of this river, and contemned the sacred streams of Jordan. His conduct was not unsimilar to modern Syrians in nature; who think high of their own moral excellency, and cannot brook the necessity of being washed from the leprosy of sin, in the blood of Christ. May we not say with the poor captive servant in the house of Naaman: Would God that sinners, conscious, like Naaman, of their disease, "were with the Lord God of the prophets, for he would recover them of their leprosy!" (See 2 Kings 5:1-14.)