Bible Dictionaries
Ziklag

Holman Bible Dictionary

(zihk' lag) A village in the southern Judean plain; variously identified either as tell el-Khuweilifeh, 10 miles north northeast of Beersheba, tell esh-Shariah, 9 miles north northwest of Beersheba, or khirbet el-Mashash. City in tribal inheritance of Judah given to Simeon (Joshua 15:31; Joshua 19:5 ).

Ziklag appears to have belonged to the Philistines, taken during a period of rapid expansion in the time of Israel's judges (1 Samuel 27:6 ). The town was given to David by Achish, king of Gath, during David's “outlaw” period. The gift may have been a means of shortening Philistia's over-extended borders. Ziklag appears never to have been a part of Philistia proper.

David made the town his headquarters as he gathered his private army and made raids against the Amalekites. On returning to his base following Philistia's refusal to allow him to fight with them against Saul, David found the town had been raided and burned by the Amalekites and his family taken hostage. A daring night raid on the base of the enemy resulted in the rescue of his people and their return to Ziklag (1 Samuel 30:1 ). Jews returning from Babylonian Exile inhabited Ziklag (Nehemiah 11:28 ).