valley of elah Summary and Overview

VALLEY OF E'LAH (terebinth) where David slew Goliath. 1 Sam 17:2, 1 Sam 17:19; 1 Sam 21:9. It is now called Wady es-Sunt, or "Acacia Valley," 14 miles south-west of Jerusalem. The valley is about a quarter of a mile wide, and has steep sides rising to a height of about 500 feet. The torrent or brook has a deep channel in the middle of the valley, and its course is strewn with smooth white stones. Terebinth trees, which gave the original title to the valley, are still found there.

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 Israel 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).