Elah

Elah (meaning terebinth or oak) is the name of a valley and several individuals in the Old Testament. The Valley of Elah, named for the terebinth trees that lined it, is the site of the famous confrontation between David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17:2, 19) — one of the most celebrated narratives in Scripture. The valley lies southwest of Jerusalem in the Shephelah, at the foot of the Judean hills, and marked a strategic boundary between Israelite and Philistine territory. David selected five smooth stones from a brook in the valley for his sling.

Among the individuals named Elah: (1) a chief of Edom descended from Esau (Genesis 36:41); (2) Elah son of Baasha, king of Israel for two years before being assassinated by Zimri in a conspiracy (1 Kings 16:8–10), fulfilling Jehu's prophecy against Baasha's house; (3) the father of Hoshea, the last king of Israel (2 Kings 15:30); and (4) a son of Caleb (1 Chronicles 4:15). The valley retains a variation of its ancient name today as Wadi es-Sant.