Bible Encyclopedias
Ziklag

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

zik´lag ( צקלג , ciḳelagh , צקלג , ciḳelāgh ( 2 Samuel 1:1 ), ציקלג , cı̄ḳelagh (1 Chronicles 12:1 , 1 Chronicles 12:20 ); usually in the Septuagint Σεκελάκ , Sekelák , or Σικελάγ , Sikelág ): A town assigned (Joshua 19:5; 1 Chronicles 4:30 ) to Simeon, but in Joshua 15:31 named, between Hornah and Madmannah, as one of the cities of the Negeb of Judah, "toward the border of Edom." It is said ( 1 Samuel 27:6 ) to have remained a royal city. In Nehemiah 11:28 it is in the list of towns reinhabited by the returning children of Judah. Its chief associations are with David. Achish the Philistine king of Gath gave it to David as a residence ( 1 Samuel 27:6 f; 1 Chronicles 12:1 , 1 Chronicles 12:20 ); it was raided by the Amalekites, on whom David took vengeance and so recovered his property (1 Samuel 30:14 , 1 Samuel 30:26 ); here the messenger who came to announce Saul's death was slain (2 Samuel 1:1; 2 Samuel 4:10 ).

The site of this important place is not yet fixed with certainty; Conder proposed Zucheilı̄ka , a ruin 11 miles South-Southeast of Gaza, and 4 miles North of Wâdy es - Sherı̄‛ă , which may be the "Brook Besor" ( 1 Samuel 30:9 , 1 Samuel 30:10 , 1 Samuel 30:21 ); Rowland (1842) proposed ‛Aslūj , a heap of ruins South of Beersheba and 7 miles to the East of Bered. Neither site is entirely satisfactory. See Williams, Holy City , I, 463-68; BR , II, 201, PEF , 288, Sh XX.