Ziklag

a city of the Philistines, first assigned to the tribe of Judah, and afterward to that of Simeon, Jos 15:31; Jos 19:5; but it does not appear that the Philistines were ever driven out; as, when David fled into their country from Saul, Achish gave the city to him, 1Sa 27:5-6. It was afterward burned by the Amalekites, 1Sa 30:1. But it appears to have been rebuilt, as the author of the First Book of Samuel, when relating its being given to David, adds, that it pertained to the kings of Judah in his time.

Zik´lag, a city belonging to the tribe of Simeon (Jos 15:31; Jos 19:5), but at times subject to the Philistines of Gath, whose king, Achish, bestowed it upon David for a residence; after which it pertained to Judah (1Sa 27:6; 1Sa 30:1; 1Sa 30:14; 1Sa 30:26; 2Sa 1:1; 1Ch 4:30; Neh 11:28).

While David was absent with his men to join Achish, Ziklag was burned and plundered by the Amalekites; and on his return, after receiving the spoil from them, he remained here till called to assume the crown after the death of Saul. It was during his stay in this place that he was joined by many considerable and valiant persons, whose adhesion to his cause was of much importance to him, and who were ever after held in high esteem in his court and army.

A city of Judah and Simeon, on the borders of the Philistines, Jos 15:31 ; 19:5, who held it until the time of Saul, when Achish king of Gath gave it to David. Hither many other refugees from Judah resorted, and David was thus enabled to aid Achish, and to chastise the Amalekites who had sacked Ziklag during his absence, 1Sa 27:1- 6; 30:1-31; Neh 11:28 .\par

Zik’lag. (winding). 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 Jos 15:31, and occurs, in the same connection, among the places which were allotted out of the territory of Judah to Simeon. Jos 19:5.

We next encounter it, in the possession of the Philistines, 1Sa 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. 1Sa 27:6-7; 1Sa 30:14; 1Sa 30:26; 1Ch 12:1; 1Ch 12:20. It was there, he received the news of Saul’s death. 2Sa 1:1; 2Sa 4:10. He then relinquished it for Hebron. 2Sa 2:1.

Ziklag is finally mentioned as being reinhabited by the people of Judah after their return from captivity. Neh 11:28. The situation of the town is difficult to determine, and we only know for certain that it was in the south country.

A city in southern Judah, associated with Chesil and Hormah (Jos 15:31; Jos 19:5; 1Ch 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.

Thence David went up against the Geshurites, Gezrites, and Amalekites (1Sa 27:8-9; 1Sa 30:14; 1Sa 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 (1Ch 12:1-20), and heard of Saul’s death (2Sa 1:1; 2Sa 4:10); thence he went to Hebron (2Sa 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 1Sa 30:11 is "the field (sadeh) of the Philistines"; sadeh is applied to the country of Amalek (Gen 14:7). Reoccupied after the Babylonian captivity by the men of Judah (Neh 11:28).

Ziklag (zĭk’lăg), outpouring of a fountain? A city in the south of Judah, Jos 15:31; afterward given to Simeon, Jos 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. 1Sa 27:6; 1Sa 30:1; 1Sa 30:14; 1Sa 30:26; 2Sa 1:1; 2Sa 4:10; 1Ch 4:30; 1Ch 12:1-20. It was also inhabited after the return from the captivity. Neh 11:28.

[Zik’lag]

City in the south of Judah given to David by Achish, one of the Philistine kings. It was burned down by the Amalekites, and the inhabitants carried away during the absence of David; but the captives and the spoil were recovered. It afterwards returned to the tribe of Judah. A list is given of the warriors who resorted to David at Ziklag while Saul was yet alive, and therefore while David was in rejection by the nation. 1Ch 12:1-22. Amasai, chief of the captains, said "Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee." Cheering words to one thus placed! They were apparently a type of those who follow the Lord Jesus now while He is still rejected by the world at large. Jos 15:31; Jos 19:5; 1Sa 27:6; 1Sa 30:1-26; 2Sa 1:1; 2Sa 4:10 , 1Ch 4:30; Neh 11:28. Identified by some with Asluj, 31° 3’ N, 34° 48’ E.; but ruins at Zuheilikah, some 17 miles N.W. of Beersheba have been preferred by others.

By: Joseph Jacobs, Schulim Ochser

Simeonitic town which, after the union of the tribes of Simeon and Judah, became Judean; first mentioned in the account of the territory and borders of the individual tribes (Josh. xv. 31, xix. 5). In the early part of the regal period Ziklag came into the possession of the Philistines, who retained it until King Achish gave it to his vassal David as a place of residence (I Sam. xxvii. 6; II Sam. i. 1, iv. 10; I Chron. xii. 1, 20). It was invaded and burned by the Amalekites when David joined the Philistine king in war (I Sam. xxx. 1-26), and after the return from the first Exile it was one of the towns assigned to the Judeans (Neh. xi. 28). The town has not yet been identified, although Conder and Kitchener believe that its ruins are represented by the remains called Zuḥailika, discovered by them in 1877, and lying on three low hills eastsoutheast of Gaza and four miles north of Wadi al-Shari'ah.

Bibliography:

Riehm, Handwörterbuch, 2d ed., p. 1866b;

Buhl, Geographie des Alten Palästina, Berlin, 1896.

ZIKLAG.—A town given by Achish king of Gath to the outlawed David (1Sa 27:6; 1Sa 30:1 ff., 2Sa 1:1; 2Sa 4:10, 1Ch 12:1; 1Ch 12:20). In the national register of cities it is assigned to Judah (Jos 15:31) or to Simeon (Jos 19:5), and is mentioned also in the post-exilic list (Neh 11:28). It has been identified with Zuheilîqa, 11 m. S. E. of Gaza, and 20 m. S.W. from Eleutheropolis.

H. L. Willett.

zik´lag (צקלג, ciḳ^elagh, צקלג, ciḳ^elāgh (2Sa 1:1), ציקלג, cı̄ḳ^elagh (1Ch 12:1, 1Ch 12:20); usually in the Septuagint Σεκελάκ, Sekelák, or Σικελάγ, Sikelág): A town assigned (Jos 19:5; 1Ch 4:30) to Simeon, but in Jos 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 (1Sa 27:6) to have remained a royal city. In Neh 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 (1Sa 27:6 f; 1Ch 12:1, 1Ch 12:20); it was raided by the Amalekites, on whom David took vengeance and so recovered his property (1Sa 30:14, 1Sa 30:26); here the messenger who came to announce Saul’s death was slain (2Sa 1:1; 2Sa 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” (1Sa 30:9, 1Sa 30:10, 1Sa 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.