Eshek (Hastings' Dictionary)

A descendant of Saul (1 Ch 8"). See G E.N E A LOGY. ESHTAOL(Mk?;'k Job 15" 19*', Jg 13='16" 18>-»-»). — A town in the Shephelah, first assigned to Judah, afterwards to Dan, always named with Zorah, now Sura'a, which is beside 'Ain Shems, where the Wady es-Surar is joined by valleys from tlie N. and S. and a great basin formed, fertile and well- watered, iust Deneath the hill country of .Judnca. Eshua', close to Sura'a, represents Eslitaol.

Guerin says he heard in the neighbourhood that it formerly was called Eshu'al or Eshthu'al, which, if con- finned, might be held decisive ; but the degenera- tion of Eslitaol into Eshua is not impossible. Between Zorah and E. was the 'camp of Dan' j and there (Jg 13^) Samson's achievements began, and there he was buried (16"). (See Smith's Ilkt. Geog. p. 218.) The Eshtaolitcs (/»<. ' Eshtaolite') were, according to 1 Ch 2'*, descended from the families of Kiriath-jearim, etc.

, who are there de-scribed as Calebites. The narratives of Jos 15" and 19*" suggest how mingling of the tribes of Judah and of Dan miglit arise, perhaps lead- ing to the Danite migration from Zorah and Eshtaol. LiTKKiTt-HK.— PBF5(, 1874, 17; Conder, Palestine, 49; Smith, HGUL, 218; Gu6rin, Jvdie, ii. 129. ; SWP Memoir), lu- 2S- A. Henderson. E8HTEM0A {v'^op^^tf), named in Jos 15" (where it is called Eshtemoh, ns^ff) among towns of Judah. It was made afterwards a Levitical city (21", 1 Ch 6").

During David's wanderings in .S. Judah its inhabitants were on his side (1 S 30^). It is said in 1 Ch 4" to have been inhabited by the descendants of Ishbah ; and Eshtemoa, its founder, is called (4") a Maacathite, which would naturally suggest that he came from the small kingdom of Maacah (wh. see). It may have been here ' the Maacathite ' among his heroes Joined David (2 S 23"). The site was recovered by Robin- son some 8 miles S. of Hebron. It is now Es- Semua, a considerable village (BR ii.

p. 204), and full of ancient remains (PEF Memoirs, iii. 403, 412). A. Henderson. E8HTEH0H.— See Eshtemoa.