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ELATH

(Heb. ʾêlaṯ)

A city and harbor at the head of the Gulf of Aqabah. Elath’s strategic position made it an important gateway for caravan and naval commerce with Arabia and eastern Africa. In the OT Elath is frequently placed in close proximity to Ezion-geber. Some scholars consider Tell el-Kheleifeh (147884), which lies between modern Elath and Aqabah, as Elath, others as Ezion-geber, and still others as the site for both Elath and Ezion-geber. The site was also known as El-paran (Gen. 14:6). The Ptolemies changed its name to Bernice.

Elath was originally Edomite, possibly taking its name from the Edomite chief Elah (Gen. 36:41 = 1 Chr. 1:52; Eloth). Toward the end of the Exodus, the Israelites passed through Elath before turning north toward Edom and Moab (Deut. 2:8). David probably captured it during his campaign against the Edomites (2 Sam. 8:13-14). Solomon then established a navy of ships in Ezion-geber near Elath (1 Kgs. 9:26 = 2 Chr. 8:17). Apparently the Edomites had regained control, but Uzziah (Azariah, 2 Kgs. 14:22; 2 Chr. 26:2) recaptured and restored it (ca. 780 b.c.). However, under Aramean (Syrian) pressure during the Syro-Ephraimite War (ca. 735), Ahaz lost it to the Edomites permanently (2 Kgs. 16:6).

Bibliography. G. D. Pratico, Nelson Glueck’s 1938-1940 Excavations at Tell el-Kheleifeh: A Reappraisal. ASOR Archaeological Reports 3 (Atlanta, 1993).

Bradford Scott Hummel

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ELATH

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)