Mashal

Mashal is a Levitical town in the territory of the tribe of Asher, named more often in its variant form Mishal. The same place is in view across all three references.

Border Town of Asher

In the survey of Asher's allotment, Mishal sits among the boundary towns near Carmel and Shihor-libnath: "and Allammelech, and Amad, and Mishal; and it reached to Carmel westward, and to Shihor-libnath" (Jos 19:26).

Levitical City

When Levitical cities are assigned out of the tribal allotments, Asher contributes Mishal among them: "And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with its suburbs, Abdon with its suburbs" (Jos 21:30). The Chronicler's parallel listing uses the form Mashal: "and out of the tribe of Asher, Mashal with its suburbs, and Abdon with its suburbs" (1Ch 6:74). Pairing with Abdon in both lists, and the matching tribal source, identifies Mashal and Mishal as the same city under variant spellings.