Places in the Bible Today:

Ziklag

Data

Translated NamesZiklad, Ziklag
Typesettlement
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

8 Possible Identifications

  1. Tell esh Sharia (modern): 55% confidence

    1. panorama of Tell esh ShariaTell esh Sharia

  2. Tel Halif (modern): 15% confidence

    1. panorama of Tel HalifTel Halif

  3. Tel Beer Sheva (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. panorama of ruins at Tel Beer ShevaTel Beer Sheva

  4. Khirbet a Ra’i (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. satellite view of the region around Khirbet a Ra’iKhirbet a Ra’i

  5. Tel Masos (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. satellite view of the region around Tel MasosTel Masos

  6. Khirbet Zuheiliqah (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. satellite view of the region around Khirbet ZuheiliqahKhirbet Zuheiliqah

  7. Tel Haror (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. panorama of Tel HarorTel Haror

  8. Tell Beit Mirsim (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. artifact from Tell Beit MirsimTell Beit Mirsim

Verses (13)

Josh-Ruth (2)
Josh 15:31, 19:5
1Sam-Esth (11)
1Sam 27:6, 30:1, 30:3, 30:14, 30:26
2Sam 1:1, 4:10
1Chr 4:30, 12:1, 12:20
Neh 11:28

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Biblemapper.com997
Logos FactbookZiklag
OpenBible.info (2007)Ziklag
OpenBible.infoa0ed7ff (Ziklag)
TIPNRZiklag@Jos.15.31
UBS Names Databaseot ID_2545
WikidataQ6127412

Sources

  1. Aharoni, Land of the Bible (1979): page 443
  2. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Ziklag (place)
  3. Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land (1990): Ziklag
  4. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Ziklag
  5. Baly, The Geography of the Bible (1974): page 143
  6. Carta Bible Atlas, 5th Edition (2011)
  7. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Ziklag
  8. ESV Bible Atlas (2010)
  9. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1984): 1Sam 27:1-12
  10. Garfinkel and Ganor, Was Khirbet al-Ra‘i Ancient Ziklag? (2019)
  11. Gordon, I and II Samuel (1986): 1Sam 27:6
  12. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Ziklag
  13. Hammond Atlas of the Bible Lands (2007): Ziklag
  14. HarperCollins Concise Atlas of the Bible (1991)
  15. Hess, Joshua (1996): table 11
  16. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2003)
  17. Holman Illustrated Guide to Bible Geography (2020): page 99
  18. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Ziklag
  19. IVP Old Testament Bible Background Commentary (2000): 1Sam 27:6
  20. Lexham Bible Dictionary (2016): Ziklag
  21. McKinny, Historical Geography of the Administrative Division of Judah (2014): page 103
  22. Monson, Regions on the Run (2009): map 4
  23. Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2014): Ziklag
  24. New Bible Atlas (1985): Ziklag
  25. New Bible Dictionary (1996): Ziklag
  26. New Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary (2009)
  27. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988)
  28. Oxford Bible Atlas, Fourth Edition (2007)
  29. Reader’s Digest Atlas of the Bible (1981): Ziklag
  30. Rogerson, New Atlas of the Bible (1985): page 85
  31. Schlegel, Satellite Bible Atlas (2016): Ziklag
  32. Tyndale Bible Dictionary (2001): Ziklag
  33. Tübingen Bible Atlas (2001): Siqlag
  34. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Ziklag
  35. Woudstra, Joshua (1981): 15:31; 15:31 note 17
  36. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010)
  37. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  38. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): 1Sam 27:6 sidebar
  39. Zondervan Pictorial Bible Atlas (1972): page 91

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others (in this case, Tell esh Sharia), then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

Danny Gershoni, Danny Gershoni, gugganij, Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2019, Aaadir, Hanay

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.