Zelzah
(shadow), a place named once only, (1 Samuel 10:2) as on the boundary of Benjamin close to Rachel’s sepulchre, five miles southwest of Jerusalem.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Zelzah
Zelzah zel'-za (tseltsach; hallomenous megala): A place where Samuel told Saul he would meet two men with news that the asses were found. Its position is defined as "by Rachel's sepulchre, in the border of Benjamin" (1Sa 10:2). It has been thought that the place of meeting was sufficiently indicated without the word betseltsach, which is translated "at Zelzah," and that this cannot therefore be a place-name. The Septuagint has "leaping mightily" or "in great haste" (Ewald) points to a different text. Whether the Greek can be so translated is also a question, as megala does not elsewhere occur as an adverb. Some corruption of the text is probable. The border of Benjamin may be roughly determined, but the tomb of Rachel is now unknown. No name like Zelzah has been recovered in the district. Smith ("Samuel," ICC, at the place) suggests that we should read "Zela" for "Zelzah" (tsela`, for tseltsach). ⇒See a list of verses on ZELZAH in the Bible. W. Ewing ⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Zelzah
In 1 S 10» Samuel tells Saul : 'When thou art departed from me to-day, then thou shalt liiul two men by llachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin niSsx' The last word is rendered by AV and UV 'at Zelzah.' But there are grave reasons for suspecting the correctness of this. No place of such a name is known to us, nor should we expect any further definition after the specilic mention of ' Kachel's sepulchre.' The LXX trans- lates by dXXo/wVouj Aie7dAa 'leaping mightily ' (Ew. ' in grosser Eile ') ; dXXo/«'i'ous=D'n^i (v.''). But, as Driver points out, though Sv nSx may mean (meta- phorically) leap u/ion, we are not justified in at- tributing to n>!( absolutely the sense of leapinc/. Moreover, i^cydXa as an adverb does not occur elsewhere in the LXX, and Wellh. is doubtless riglit in regarding it as simply a lleb. word written in Greek letters and transformed into something significant in Greek (for other instances of a siiiiihir kind see Driver, Text of Sam. GO n.). lie himself takes dXXo/if'i'oi;? /it-ydXo to be doublets wliich have arisen from the words in "^riKwy. tv BaKoXdfl whi…
Fausset's Bible Dictionary on Zelzah
1Sa 10:2. On Benjamin's boundary, close to Rachel's sepulchre. The first point of Saul's homeward journey after his being anointed by Samuel.
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia