Ziph
(battlement), the name of two towns in Judah.
In the south, named between Ithnan and Telem. (Joshua 15:24) It does not appear again in the history, nor has any trace of has been met with. In the highland district, named between Carmel and Juttah. (Joshua 15:55) The place is immortalized by its connection with David. (1 Samuel 23:14,15,24; 26:2) These passages show that at that time it had near it a wilderness (i.e., a waste pasture-ground) and a wood. The latter has disappeared but the former remains.
The name of Zif if, found about three miles south of Hebron, attached to a rounded hill of some 100 feet in height, which is called Tell Zif . Son of Jehaleleel. (1 Chronicles 4:16)
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Ziph
1. A son of Jehallelel, 1 Ch 4'» (B 'A^ijaxf^ A Z(0o(, Luc. Z(0). 2. A city ot Southern Judah, Jos 15-'' (B om., A 'I^Kafi^ [com- bining Ziph and the preceding Ithnan], Luc. Zelcp). Its site has not been recovered. 3. A city in the hill-country of Judah, Jos 15» (B 'Ofei^, A and Luc. ZI0), cf. 1 Ch 2''' (Ze(0) ; fortified by Reho- boam, 2Ch IP (B Zd^, A Zei^, Luc. Z( ). The wilderness of Ziph (Tt i3ip) was one of the refuges of David (see vol. i. p. 564'') when fleeing from Saul, IS 23"-'»-2* 26-''". The gentilic name Ziphites (o'si and D'c'i ; LXX Z{(]iif>atoi) occurs in 1 S 23"''- '■« P-x-'i ""'y] 26', Ps 54 ""•. Ziph is the modern Tell Zif, S.E. of Hebron (Robinson, BRP* i. 492, 498 ; Gu^rin, Jud(e, iii. 159 If. ; G. A. Smith, HGHL 306 n.; Buhl, GAP 163). Jerome (OS- 159, 14) mis.states its distance from Hebron as 8 M.P., whereas it is under 5 (Roman) miles (Robinson).
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