ELAH
(Eʹlah) [big tree].
1. An Edomite sheik who likely occupied the village of Elath.—Gen. 36:40, 41, 43; 1 Chron. 1:52; see ELATH, ELOTH; TIMNA No. 3.
2. A son of Caleb the spy and father of Kenaz of the tribe of Judah.—1 Chron. 4:15.
3. Fourth king of the northern ten-tribe kingdom of Israel. Elah came to the throne on the death of his father Bassha and ruled in Tirzah for parts of two years, about 952-951 B.C.E. (1 Ki. 16:8) While Elah was drunk, Zimri, the chief over half the chariots, put him to death to get the kingship for himself and then went on to wipe out all of Baasha’s house, to fulflll Jehovah’s prophecy.—1 Ki. 16:1-14.
4. Father of King Hoshea, the last monarch of the northern kingdom.—2 Ki. 15:30; 17:1; 18:1, 9.
5. A descendant of Benjamin who lived in Jerusalem.—1 Chron. 9:3, 7, 8.
6. A low plain or valley, perhaps named for an outstandingly large tree located therein. The “low plain of Elah” was the site of the encounter between the Israelites and the Philistines, championed by Goliath. (1 Sam. 17:2, 19; 21:9) It is usually associated with the fertile Wadi es-Sant, one of the principal wadies extending from the Philistine plains through the Shephelah into the mountainous regions of Judah, passing between the suggested locations of Azekah and Socoh. (17:1) It thus lay some fifteen miles (24.1 kilometers) SW of Jerusalem. The well-watered plain is about a quarter of a mile (.4 kilometer) broad and quite level. The opposing forces faced each other across this valley, each side having a strong position on a mountainside, the Philistines perhaps to the S and the Israelites to the N or NE. Through the low plain ran the “torrent valley,” probably the dry stream bed still found there. (17:40) Perhaps the delay of “forty days” spent by the two armies was due in part to the weak position in which either side would place itself in having to cross over this torrent valley and then go up against the enemy force on the opposing mountainside. (17:16) David selected his five smooth stones from the torrent valley when crossing over to face Goliath. After his victory, the routed Philistine army fled down the valley to the Philistine plain and the cities of Gath and Ekron.—17:52.