The grapes or olives were trodden or crushed in the upper basin (gath, Neh. 13:15), allowing the juices to flow by gravity into the lower vat (yeʹqev, Judg. 7:25; Prov. 3:10; Joel 2:24; Hag. 2:16).

In Joel 3:13 both terms occur: “Come, descend, for the wine press [gath] has become full.

A place mentioned by the prophet Amos, along with the cities of Hamath and Gath, when warning the people of Israel and Judah of coming calamity. (Amos 6:2)

While some commentators consider it to be the same as No. 1 above, most scholars view its association with Hamath and Gath as indicating a location in the region adjacent to the eastern Mediterranean Sea, rather than in Mesopotamia.

David first took refuge with the prophet Samuel in Ramah (1 Sam. 19:18-24), but when this ceased to be a hiding place he headed for the Philistine city of Gath, stopping on the way to see High Priest Ahimelech in Nob, where he obtained Goliath’s sword. (1 Sam. 21:1-9; 22:9-23; Matt. 12:3, 4)

However, it was only by disguising his sanity, making childish cross marks on the gate and letting saliva run down his beard, that he was able to escape from Gath. (1 Sam. 21:10-15)

The capital or primary city of a district was the metropolis, or “mother” city, as at 1 Chronicles 18:1: “Gath and its dependent towns” (literally, “Gath and her daughters”).

Many commentators consider Ezer and Elead to be the sons of Ephraim that were slain by the men of Gath, thus placing the event probably sometime between the death of Joseph and the beginning of the Egyptian oppression.

This would mean either that Ezer and Elead went into Canaan to take the livestock of the men of Gath or that the latter were the aggressors.

GATH-HEPHER

(Gath-heʹpher) [winepress of digging].

A son of Ephraim, born after men of Gath had killed his older brothers.

One of the five sons of Elpaal and one of the Benjamite family heads who chased away the inhabitants of Gath.—1 Chron. 8:12, 13.

But the parallel passage mentioning Levite cities in the territory of the half tribe of Manasseh (Josh. 21:25) reads “Gath-rimmon” instead of “Bileam” or “Ibleam.”

Generally this is attributed to scribal error, “Gath-rimmon,” the name of a city in Dan, probably having been inadvertently repeated from verse 24.

Father of Achish, king of the Philistine city of Gath, with whom David and his six hundred men found refuge from Saul. (1 Sam. 27:1-3)

The name Maacah is quite similar to Maoch and it is possible that Achish, who was ruling when David was outlawed, was still the Philistine king of Gath at the commencement of Solomon’s rule.

The parallel passage at 1 Chronicles 18:1 says “Gath and its dependent towns.”

Therefore, at 2 Samuel 8:1, David’s taking Metheg-ammah (“the bridle of the mother city,” AS) may mean that David gained the “bridle” or jurisdiction over Gath, the “mother city,” and thereby also control of its daughter-like dependent towns.