Bible Encyclopedias
Elah, the Valley of

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia

Scene of the combat between David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17:2, 21:9). It is identified with the fertile Wadi al-Sanṭ, rich in oaks, terebinths, and acacias. The older as well as the newer name refers to the trees growing in the valley. The present name is an exact equivalent for an older designation, if Wellhausen's plausible suggestion is correct, that the valley of Shittim, mentioned in Joel 4 (A. V. ) 18, is to be found in Wadi al-Sanṭ. (Hebr. "shiṭṭah" = Arabic "sanṭ").

E. G. H.
F. Bu.
Bibliography Information
Singer, Isidore, Ph.D, Projector and Managing Editor. Entry for 'Elah, the Valley of'. 1901 The Jewish Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​tje/​e/elah-the-valley-of.html. 1901.