Elath

Elath (also Eloth; meaning grove, hind, or trees) was an ancient seaport at the northeastern tip of the Red Sea's Gulf of Aqaba, strategically positioned at the crossroads of trade routes connecting Egypt, Arabia, Africa, and the eastern Mediterranean. The site is mentioned in Deuteronomy 2:8 as Israel passed through it during the wilderness journey, and it became significant as a harbor in the days of Solomon, who built a fleet at the nearby Ezion-gaber (1 Kings 9:26) to trade with Ophir for gold.

Control of Elath fluctuated between Israel and Edom: Azariah (Uzziah) king of Judah recovered and rebuilt Elath (2 Kings 14:22; 2 Chronicles 26:2), but Edom subsequently regained it during the reign of Ahaz (2 Kings 16:6), after which it remained in Edomite (later Nabatean and Roman) hands. The site is now Aqaba, Jordan, and Eilat, Israel — modern cities that preserve the ancient strategic importance of the location as a gateway between the Red Sea and the land routes of the Levant.