Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 13:19

"And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Beth-el with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephron with the towns thereof." — 2 Chronicles 13:19 (ASV)

Took cities from him. —The three cities and their districts were only temporarily annexed to Judah. According to 1 Kings 15:17–21, Baasha, King of Israel, attempted in the next reign to fortify Ramah, which was only about five miles north of Jerusalem. He had probably recovered these towns before doing so (Bertheau).

Bethel. —Beitin. (Genesis 12:8; Joshua 7:2).

Jeshanah. —Not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament. It is probably identical with Ἰσάνας of Josephus (Antiquities xiv. 15, § 12); its site is unknown. Syriac, Shâlâ; Arabic, Sâiâ.

Ephrain. —So the Hebrew margin; the Hebrew text has Ephron; and so do the Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic. Mount Ephron (Joshua 15:9) was situated too far to the south to be intended here. Perhaps Ophrah, near Bethel (Judges 6:11), or the town called Ephraim (John 6:54)—especially if Ephrain is the right reading—which also was near Bethel, according to Josephus (Bellum Judaicum iv. 9, §9), is to be understood. Ophrah and Ephraim may be identical.

The Arabic version adds: “And Zâghâr with its towns.”