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Valley of Elah

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File:Valley of Elah from Tel Azeka.jpg
Valley of Elah viewed from the top of Tel Azekah

The Valley of Elah, Ella Valley ("Valley of the terebinth";<ref>Elah, Langenscheidt's Hebrew Dictionary, Dr Karl Feyerabend</ref> from the Template:Langx), or Wadi es-Sunt (Template:Langx), is a long, shallow valley in the Shephelah area of Israel. It is best-known from the Hebrew Bible incident where David defeated Goliath (1 Samuel 17:2 and 19). It is home to several important archaeological sites, including those identified as the ancient towns of Azekah and Sokho (1 Samuel 17:1). Rising from the valley on its extreme southeast end lies the hilltop ruin Adullam, and on its north lie the ruins of the ancient fortress city of Khirbet Qeiyafa, which is identified with the ancient town of Shaaraim mentioned in 1 Samuel 17:52.

The valley is named after its indigenous trees: in Hebrew after the large and shady terebinth trees (Pistacia terebinthus and P. palaestina), and in Arabic for the white acacia trees (Faidherbia). On the west side of the valley, near Socho, there is a huge and ancient terebinth, Template:Convert in height with a trunk Template:Convert in circumference and a canopy at least Template:Convert in diameter. This tree is notable for being one of the largest terebinths in the area, and marks the valley's upper end.

File:Elah Valley - Passover 2014.jpg
Extension of Elah Valley on its southeastern side, Wadi es-Sur

Since the early 1970s, the valley has also contained a large satellite relay station, with an antenna farm containing some 120 satellite dishes of various sizes. From 2010 to 2014, the region around the valley was believed to be threatened by shale oil extraction through the CCR ground-heating process, with the Green Zionist Alliance (now Aytzim) and the grassroots group Template:Usurped, among others, working to stop exploitation of the region.<ref name= Jewcology1>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="AFP">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="GreenProphet">Template:Cite news</ref> The plan was ultimately blocked in 2014 by a zoning committee decision.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In July 2019, the Elah Valley came under the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, owing mainly to its historical importance and the desire to curtail the encroaching city limits of Beit Shemesh to its north.<ref>Template:Cite journal (25 July 2019)</ref>

HistoryEdit

In 2009, Professor Yosef Garfinkel discovered a fortified city from the Iron Age II dated sometime between 1050 and 915 BC at Khirbet Qeiyafa, southwest of Jerusalem in the Elah Valley.<ref>“Newly Discovered: A Fortified City from King David’s Time,” Biblical Archaeology Review 35.1 (2009): 38, 40–43.[1]</ref> The fortifications have been said to support the biblical account of the United Monarchy, the theory that Israel in the time of King David at the beginning of Iron Age II was more than simply a tribal chiefdom.<ref>Govier, Gordon "Archaeology: What an Ancient Hebrew Note Might Mean" Christianity Today 1/18/2010 [2]</ref> Others are skeptical and suggest it might represent either a Judahite or Canaanite fortress.<ref name="Fridman">Julia Fridman, 'Crying King David: Are the ruins found in Israel really his palace? ,' at Haaretz, 26 August 2013.</ref>

File:HaElaFortressDSCN2167.JPG
Khirbet Qeiyafa overlooking the Elah Valley
File:The Valley of Elah, on its south-eastern side, December 2014.jpg
The Valley of Elah after the winter rains, Wadi es Sur

In the late 19th century, Claude Conder and Herbert Kitchener described the Elah Valley as being "one of the most fertile districts in Palestine. It is an open flat vale about half a mile across, and covered with corn; a narrow trench runs down the center full of white pebbles worn by the water in winter. Here and there large terebinths grow along its course (Butmet Wâdy es Sûr), and solitary oak trees (Ballûtet Kŭssis). On either side rise the stony hills covered with brushwood and wild growth."<ref>C.R. Conder & H.H. Kitchener, The Survey of Western Palestine, vol. III, London 1883, p. 298</ref>

Flora and faunaEdit

File:Pistacia atlantica (Elah valley).JPG
Terebinth (Pistacia atlantica) growing in the Elah Valley

Numerous plant species are native to the Elah Valley, including: Template:Div col

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File:Cyclamen flower, December 2014.jpg
Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum)
File:Lupines growing on Tel Socho, Feb. 2015.jpg
Blue lupine in Tel Socho of the Elah Valley
File:Ella Valley2.jpg
Elah Valley, spring of 2010

Animal species native to the Elah Valley include:

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See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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GalleryEdit

  • View of Elah Valley from atop Aderet, March 2015.jpg

    Panoramic view of Elah Valley and Neve Michael as seen from atop Moshav Aderet

  • Elah Valley below Adullam.jpg

    The Valley of Elah, near Adullam

  • Elah Valley as seen from Tel Socho, Feb. 2015.jpg

    Elah Valley as seen from atop of Tel Socho

  • Elah Valley from Tel-Socho, Feb. 2015.jpg

    View of Elah Valley, looking east from atop of Tel Socho

  • The Elah Valley, en route to Tel Socho, Feb 2015.jpg

    Elah Valley, en route to Tel Socho

  • Elah Valley Wheat Fields.jpg

    Elah valley in Spring, with ripening grain

  • Crown Daisy (Chrysanthemum coronarium), March 2015.jpg

    Crown daisy (Glebionis coronaria)

  • Pistacia atlantica, Elah Valley, June 2015.jpg

    Pistacia atlantica, from which the valley takes its name

  • Pistacia atlantica, in sunlight.jpg

    Beneath the shady boughs of a Persian turpentine tree (Pistacia atlantica) in the Elah valley

  • Asphodel flowers.jpg

    Asphodel in blossom, in the Elah Valley

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