Ephes-Dammim

Easton's Bible Dictionary

1 Samuel 17:11 Chronicles 11:13

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

EPHES-DAMMIM . The place in Judah where the Philistines were encamped at the time when David slew Goliath ( 1 Samuel 17:1 ). The same name appears in 1 Chronicles 11:13 as Pas-Dammim .

Smith's Bible Dictionary

E'phes-dam'mim. (cessation of blood-shed). A place between Socoh and Arekah, at which the Philistines were encamped before the affray, in which Goliath was killed. 1 Samuel 17:1. Under the shorter form of Pas-Dammim, it occurs once again in a similar connection. 1 Chronicles 11:13.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ē -fes -dam´im ( אפס דּמּים , 'epheṣ dammı̄m ): Some spot between Socoh and Azekah (1 Samuel 17:1 ) where the Philistines were encamped; called in 1 Chronicles 11:13 , "Pas-dammin." Ephes" end of" or "boundary" and the whole word may mean the "boundary of blood." The deep red color of the newly plowed earth in this situation is noticeable and may have given origin to the idea of "blood" (compare Adammim ). Cheyne suggests that from אדמים , 'ădhummı̄m , to דמים , dammı̄m , is an easy step, and that the former, meaning "red brown earth," may have been the original. No other satisfactory locality has been found to explain the name or fix the site.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. E'phes Dammim', דִּמַּים אֶפֶס, appar. boundary of blood; Sept. Ἀφεσδομίν or Ἀφεσδομμείν v.r. Ε᾿φερμόν, Vulg. fines Dommin), a place in the tribe of Judah between Shochoh and Azekah, where the Philistines were encamped when David fought with Goliath (1 Samuel 17:1). The similar, but not parallel passage (1 Chronicles 11:13), has the shorter form Pas-Dammim. The name was probably derived from its being the scene of frequent sanguinary encounters between Israel and the Philistines. On his way from Beit-Jibrin to Jerusalem, Van de Velde came past a ruined site on the high northward-looking brow of wady Musur, about one hour E. by S. of Beit-Netif, called Khirbet Damun, which he has no doubt represents the ancient Ephes-Dammim, and "which fixes the place of the camp of Goliath just at its foot, where the valley contracts, and may, indeed, be called the pass [or extremity] of Dammim" (Memoir, page 290). In that case the narrative of 1 Samuel 17:1-58, becomes plain: "the gorge" (הִגִּיְא ) between the battle-lines of the two armies (1 Samuel 17:3), and along which the first rout and pursuit occurred (1 Samuel 17:52), was no other than the wady Musur itself, which is so narrow immediately at this spot. (See Elah (Valley Of).)