Difference between revisions of "Ziklag"

<p> A city in southern Judah, associated with [[Chesil]] and [[Hormah]] (&nbsp;Joshua 15:31; &nbsp;Joshua 19:5; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 4:30). Lieut. Conder identifies it with Zehleika or Khirbet Zuheilikah in the middle of the plain N. of Beersheba, 200 miles square, just where the narrative concerning David would lead us to look for it. The ruins are on three small hills, forming an equilateral triangle, almost half a mile apart; among the ruins are several cisterns. [[Simeon]] possessed it. [[Assigned]] by [[Achish]] king of [[Gath]] to David, for the [[Philistines]] had taken it. </p> <p> [[Thence]] David went up against the Geshurites, Gezrites, and [[Amalekites]] (&nbsp;1 Samuel 27:8-9; &nbsp;1 Samuel 30:14; &nbsp;1 Samuel 30:26), for these tribes occupied the plateau overhanging the [[Philistine]] plain to the W. and wady Murreh to the S. He resided there a year and four months; it was there he received daily new accessions of forces (&nbsp;1 Chronicles 12:1-20), and heard of Saul's death (&nbsp;2 Samuel 1:1; &nbsp;2 Samuel 4:10); thence he went to [[Hebron]] (&nbsp;2 Samuel 2:1). Thus [[Ziklag]] lay at the confines of Philistia, Judah, and Amalek. Its position probably was in the open country, pastoral and amble, reached from the S. after passing out of wady er Ruheibeh. The term used in &nbsp;1 Samuel 30:11 is "the field (sadeh ) of the Philistines"; sadeh is applied to the country of [[Amalek]] (&nbsp;Genesis 14:7). Reoccupied after the [[Babylonian]] captivity by the men of Judah (&nbsp;Nehemiah 11:28). </p>

<p> [[Ziklag]] (''Zĭ'' ''K'Lăg'' ), ''Outpouring Of A Fountain?'' A city in the south of Judah, &nbsp;Joshua 15:31; afterward given to Simeon, &nbsp;Joshua 19:5. It was at times held by the Philistines. Achish, king of Gath, gave it to David, and it subsequently belonged to Judah. Its chief interest is in connection with the life of David. &nbsp;1 Samuel 27:6; &nbsp;1 Samuel 30:1; &nbsp;1 Samuel 30:14; &nbsp;1 Samuel 30:26; &nbsp;2 Samuel 1:1; &nbsp;2 Samuel 4:10; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 4:30; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 12:1-20. It was also inhabited after the return from the captivity. &nbsp;Nehemiah 11:28. </p>

<p> (Heb. Tsikclag צַקְלִג [on pause צַקַלָג '','' fully ''Tsikelag'; צַיקַלִג'' &nbsp;1 Chronicles 12:20], winding [Fü rst]; Sept. Σεκελά or Σικελάγ v.r. Σικελά etc.; Josephus, Σίκελλα, ''Ant.'' 6:13, 10; 14, 6; Steph., Byz. Σέκελα; Vulg. ''Siceleg'' )'','' a place which possesses a special interest from its having been the residence and the private property of David. It is first mentioned in the catalogue: of the towns of Judah in Joshua 15 where it is enumerated (&nbsp;Joshua 15:31) among those of the extreme south, between Hormah (or Zephath) and [[Madmannah]] (possibly Beth-marcaboth). It next occurs in the same connection, among the places which were allotted out of the territory of Judah to Simeon (&nbsp;Joshua 19:5). We next encounter it in the possession of the Philistines (&nbsp;1 Samuel 27:6), when it was, at David's request, bestowed upon him by Achish king of Gath. He resided there for a year and four months (&nbsp;1 Samuel 27:7; 1 Samuel 31; &nbsp;1 Samuel 14:26; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 12:1; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 12:20; [[Josephus]] [''Ant.'' 6:13, 10] gives this, as one, month and twenty-days). It was there he received the news of Saul's death (&nbsp;2 Samuel 1:1; in, &nbsp;2 Samuel 1:10). He then relinquished it for Hebron (2, 1). Ziklag is finally mentioned, in company with, Beer-sheba, Hazarshual, and other towns of the south, as being reinhabited by the people of Judani after their return from the [[Captivity]] (&nbsp;Nehemiah 11:28). </p> <p> The situation of the town is difficult to determine, notwithstanding so many notices. On the other hand, that it was in "the south" (Negeb) seems certain, both from the towns named with it, and also from its mention with "the south of the Cherethites" and "the south of Caleb" some of whose descendants we know were at [[Ziph]] and Maon, perhaps even at [[Paran]] (&nbsp;1 Samuel 25:1). On the other hand, this is difficult to reconcile with its connection with the Philistines and with the fact which follows from the narrative of 1 Samuel 30 (see &nbsp;1 Samuel 30:9-10; &nbsp;1 Samuel 30:21) that it was north of the brook Besor. The word employed in &nbsp;1 Samuel 27:5; &nbsp;1 Samuel 27:7; &nbsp;1 Samuel 27:11, to denote the region in which it stood is peculiar. It is not ''Hash-Shephelah,'' as it must have been had Ziklag stood in the ordinary lowland of Philistia, but ''Has-Sadeh,'' which Prof. Stanley (''Sin And Pal.'' App. § 15) renders "the field." On the whole, though the temptation is strong to suppose (as some have suggested) that there were two places of the same name, the only conclusion seems to be that Ziklag was in the south country, with a portion of which the Philistines had a connection, which man have lasted from the time of their residence there in the days of [[Abraham]] and Isaac. Ziklag does not appear to have been known to [[Eusebius]] and Jerome, or to any .f the older travelers. Mr. Rowlands, however, in his journey from [[Gaza]] to [[Suez]] in 1842 (in Williams, [[Holy]] City, 1, 463-468), was told of "an ancient site called Asluj, or Kasluj, with some ancient walls," three hours east of Sebata, which again was two hours and a half south of Khalasa. This he considers as identical with Ziklag. Dr. Robinson had previously (in 1838) heard of Aslui as lying south-west of Milh, on the way to Abdeh (Bibl. Res. 2, 201), a position not discordant with that of Mr. Rowlands. The identification is supported by Mr. [[Wilton]] (Negeb, p. 209); but in the Arabic form of the name. the similarity which prompted Mr. Rowlands's conjecture almost entirely disappears (עשלג צקלג ). — Smith. The English engineers think that they have discovered the name and site of Ziklag in the ruins still called ''Khirbet Zuheilikah,'' occupying three small hills, nearly half a mile apart, in the form of an equilateral triangle, together with ancient cities, situated in an open, rolling plain eleven miles east-southeast of Gaza, and nineteen south-west of Beit-Jibrin. (Quar. [[Report]] of Pal. Explor. Fund, Jan. 1878, p. 12 sq.). (See Simeon). </p>

<p> ''''' zik´lag ''''' ( צקלג , <i> ''''' ciḳelagh ''''' </i> , צקלג , <i> ''''' ciḳelāgh ''''' </i> (&nbsp; 2 Samuel 1:1 ), ציקלג , <i> '''''cı̄ḳelagh''''' </i> (&nbsp;1 Chronicles 12:1 , &nbsp;1 Chronicles 12:20 ); usually in the [[Septuagint]] Σεκελάκ , <i> '''''Sekelák''''' </i> , or Σικελάγ , <i> '''''Sikelág''''' </i> ): A town assigned (&nbsp;Joshua 19:5; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 4:30 ) to Simeon, but in &nbsp;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 (&nbsp; 1 Samuel 27:6 ) to have remained a royal city. In &nbsp;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 (&nbsp; 1 Samuel 27:6 f; &nbsp; 1 Chronicles 12:1 , &nbsp;1 Chronicles 12:20 ); it was raided by the Amalekites, on whom David took vengeance and so recovered his property (&nbsp;1 Samuel 30:14 , &nbsp;1 Samuel 30:26 ); here the messenger who came to announce Saul's death was slain (&nbsp;2 Samuel 1:1; &nbsp;2 Samuel 4:10 ). </p> <p> The site of this important place is not yet fixed with certainty; Conder proposed <i> ''''' Zucheilı̄ka ''''' </i> , a ruin 11 miles South-Southeast of Gaza, and 4 miles North of <i> ''''' Wâdy ''''' </i> <i> ''''' es ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' Sherı̄‛ă ''''' </i> , which may be the "Brook Besor" (&nbsp; 1 Samuel 30:9 , &nbsp;1 Samuel 30:10 , &nbsp;1 Samuel 30:21 ); Rowland (1842) proposed <i> '''''‛Aslūj''''' </i> , a heap of ruins South of Beersheba and 7 miles to the East of Bered. Neither site is entirely satisfactory. See Williams, <i> Holy City </i> , I, 463-68; <i> BR </i> , II, 201, <i> PEF </i> , 288, Sh XX. </p>