אֵלָה
e.lah
(Valley of) Elah
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Hebrew word אֵלָה (E.Lah) is a geographic location, specifically referring to a valley known as the Valley of Elah. In the Bible, it appears three times, indicating its significance as a recognizable place. The name "Elah" may be derived from a person or a deity, but the immediate meaning of the word is a topographical description of a valley. Given its usage, the Valley of Elah seems to have been a location of importance in ancient Israel, with its mention implying a connection to historical events or significant activities. However, the exact nature of its importance, based solely on this definition, cannot be determined. As a geographic term, the Valley of Elah serves as a specific location tied to events or activities in the biblical narrative, without implying a broader symbolic or metaphorical meaning. Its repetition in the Bible underscores its historical significance as a known place within the broader geography of the ancient Israelite world.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences across the text
Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped in the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.
1 Samuel 17:19Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
1 Samuel 21:9The priest said, “Behold, the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you would like to take that, take it; for there is no other except that here.” David said, “There is none like that. Give it to me.”