Ezel
Ezel is a location mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Jaba. It appears across 2 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
The Stone of Ezel appears in one of the most poignant narratives in the Old Testament — the secret farewell between David and Jonathan. In 1 Samuel 20, Jonathan devised a plan to warn David of Saul's murderous intentions through a prearranged signal involving arrows shot near a specific stone or landmark. The text in 1 Samuel 20:19 references "the stone Ezel" (or "that stone heap") as the place where David was to hide while Jonathan tested Saul's mood at a feast. After determining that Saul indeed sought David's life, Jonathan went to the field and shot his arrows beyond the stone, sending his servant to retrieve them — the coded signal warning David to flee. The subsequent scene of David and Jonathan's farewell near this location (1 Samuel 20:41–42) is one of Scripture's most moving portrayals of covenant friendship and loyal love. Though Ezel's exact nature — whether a standing stone, a landmark, or a place-name — remains uncertain, its role in Scripture is clear: it marks the site where one of the deepest friendships in biblical history was sealed with tears and an eternal oath before God.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
The precise location and nature of the Stone of Ezel remain uncertain among biblical scholars and archaeologists. The site is tentatively associated with the area of Jaba (ancient Gibeah or its vicinity) in the Judean hills north of Jerusalem, a region identified with Saul's territory and early monarchy-period activity. Archaeological work in the Benjamin plateau region, including excavations at Tell el-Ful (Gibeah of Saul), has uncovered Iron Age I and II remains consistent with Saulide-period occupation. Surface surveys in the broader area have identified numerous Iron Age sites. Without more precise textual or geographic data, a definitive identification of Ezel's location cannot be established.
Verse Appearances (2)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →