Wikipedia. Irbid (Arabic: إربد‎), known in ancient times as Arabella or Arbela, is the capital and largest city of the Irbid Governorate... It's far to the south from Syrian border almost by 20 km.... Artifacts and graves in the area show that Irbid has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. Pieces of pottery and wall stones found at Tell Irbid were estimated to be made in the year 3200 B.C. In the Hellenistic period, Irbid, then known as Arabella was a major trade center. Before the advent of Islam, Arabella was famous for producing some of the best wines in the ancient world. The area in the region had extremely fertile soil and moderate climate, allowing the growing of high quality grapes.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irbid

Kh. Irbid. Located over the Jordan. There was a road here are called the Great Road of the East, from Acca across lower Galilee to Bethshan and over the Jordan into Gilead, this was the road for Arabia and it connected the West to the East. It was traveled on since ancient times and perhaps used by Abraham and patriarchs. 

1 Macc. 9:2; Hos 10:14.

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Arbela in Bible Cities
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Israel in the First Century

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Hosea 10:14 - Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Betharbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon [her] children.