ZIKLAG

(Zikʹlag).

As originally assigned, this was a Simeonite enclave city in S Judah. (Jos 15:21, 31; 19:1, 2, 5; 1Ch 4:24-30) Later, Ziklag was under Philistine control. Achish, king of Gath, gave it to the fugitive David as a place of residence (and it thereafter became the possession of Judah’s kings). (1Sa 27:6) The Amalekites raided and burned the city, taking captives, including David’s wives Ahinoam and Abigail. After defeating the marauders and recovering the captives and things taken, David, from Ziklag, sent some of the spoil of battle to his friends, older men of Judah in various cities. (1Sa 30) Many armed mighty men joined David at Ziklag, and there he received news of King Saul’s death. (2Sa 1:1, 2; 4:10; 1Ch 12:1, 2, 20-22) After the Babylonian exile, some of the sons of Judah settled in this city. (Ne 11:25, 28) Various sites have been suggested for the identification of Ziklag, but Y. Aharoni and others favor identifying it with Tell esh-Shariʽah (Tel Seraʽ), about 7 km (4 mi) E of Gerar and 22 km (14 mi) NW of Beer-sheba.