Elah, Valley of

Southernmost valley in the Shephelah, starting at Hebron and descending in a northerly direction before turning west. At the Wadi al-Sant it comes together with other valleys, and at this juncture there is a wide, level valley about one-half mile (.8 kilometer) wide. It was here that the great struggle between David and Goliath took place, with the Philistine army camped on the southern hills and Saul’s army on the north or northeast (1 Sm 17:2, 19; 21:9).