The Valley of Elah
עֵמֶק הָאֵלָה · “HaElah” on the map
Where is the Valley of Elah? From the Hebron Hills west toward Ashdod. I mark it very likely.
David stooped in this stream bed, chose five smooth stones, and brought Goliath down with his sling.
By Aaron Shaffier, licensed Israel tour guide and mapmaker · About the mapmaker
- Site today
- From the Hebron Hills west toward Ashdod
- How sure
- Very likely Strong evidence, with no serious rival.
- Other names
- Elah Valley, Emek HaElah, Nahal HaElah, Wadi es-Sunt
- Location
- 31.7070° N, 34.8932° E (Google Maps)
How we know where it was
The Bible sets the two camps precisely. The Philistines stood between Socoh and Azekah, and Israel camped in the Valley of Elah. Both towns kept their names, and they face each other across this valley. When Goliath fell, the Philistines ran west down this valley toward Gath. The valley is named for the elah, the Atlantic pistachio that grows here.
Battles were fought in summer, so the brook was likely dry. A shepherd knows where the roundest, smoothest stones lie. At the bottom of the brook, tumbled over centuries.
And David used a sling, a kela, not a slingshot. A slingshot needs rubber. Slingshots did not exist in the time of David! When I served, the Israeli army treated a sling like a firearm. The boy they sent brought a gun to the fight.
Watch: David and Goliath
Walking Tanach, Episode 3. Filmed in the dry brook bed with a sling he made himself.
Visiting today
Tel Azekah overlooks the battlefield, and visitors still pick pebbles beside Route 38. I filmed the Walking Tanach episode David and Goliath, here with a sling I made myself.
Read it in the Bible
Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In a handful of chapters English Bibles count one verse off.
See HaElah on the interactive map →
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Get the print + free ebookNearby places
- Azekah right beside it
- Gath right beside it
- Socoh right beside it
- Adullam right beside it
- Jarmuth 2 km
- Ashdod 5 km