Bible Dictionaries
Elah, Valley of

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Search for…

Enter query below:

or

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Prev Entry
Elah

Next Entry
Elam

Resource Toolbox

Print Article

Additional Links

Dictionaries
Fausset Bible Dictionary
• Elah, Valley of
Morrish Bible Dictionary
• Elah, Valley of
Smith Bible Dictionary
• Elah The Valley of
Encyclopedias
The Jewish Encyclopedia
• Elah, the Valley of

i.e. "valley of the terebinth." in which Israel encamped when David killed Goliath (1 Samuel 17:2; 1 Samuel 17:19; compare 1 Samuel 21:9). Near Shocoh of Judah and Azekah; Ekron was the nearest Philistine town. Shocoh is now Suweikeh, 14 miles S.W. of Jerusalem on the road to Gaza, near where the western hills of Judah slope toward the Philistine plain; on the S. slopes of "the valley of acacias": wady es Sumt, which joining two other wadies below Suweikeh forms an open plain a mile wide, with a torrent bed full of round pebbles, such as David slew Goliath with.

This open space is probably the valley of Elah or terebinths, of which one of the largest in Palestine stands near. A mile down the valley is Tell Zakariyeh, probably Azekah. Ekron is 17 miles and Bethlehem 12 from Shocoh. The Philistines were on the hill on the S. side, Israel on the hill on the N. side of "the ravine" (hagay; 1 Samuel 17:3, the deeper cutting made in the broad valley by the winter torrent, distinct from 'eemeq , "valley," 1 Samuel 17:2). (See EPHES-DAMMIM.)