Places in the Bible Today:

Gath 1

Data

Translated NamesGath, Gittite, Gittites
Typesettlement
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

6 Possible Identifications

  1. Tell es Safi (modern): 90% confidence

    1. panorama of Tell es SafiTell es Safi

  2. Tel Nagila (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. aerial panorama of Tel NagilaTel Nagila

  3. Tell esh Sharia (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. panorama of Tell esh ShariaTell esh Sharia

  4. Ras Abu Hamid (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. satellite view of the region around Ras Abu HamidRas Abu Hamid

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

    1. panorama of Tel HarorTel Haror

  6. Tel Erani (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. panorama of Tel EraniTel Erani

Verses (38)

Josh-Ruth (2)
Josh 11:22, 13:3
1Sam-Esth (33)
1Sam 5:8, 5:9, 5:10, 6:17, 7:14, 17:4, 17:23, 17:52, 21:10, 21:12, 22:1, 27:2, 27:3, 27:4, 27:11
2Sam 1:20, 15:18, 15:19, 15:22, 18:2, 21:19, 21:20, 21:22
1Kgs 2:39, 2:40, 2:41
2Kgs 12:17
1Chr 18:1, 20:5, 20:6, 20:8
2Chr 11:8, 26:6
Job-Mal (3)
Ps 56:1
Amos 6:2
Mic 1:10

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Biblemapper.com439
Logos FactbookGath
OpenBible.info (2007)Gath
OpenBible.infoa18873f (Gath 1)
TIPNRGath@Jos.11.22
UBS Names Databaseot ID_774
WikidataQ1348441

Sources

  1. Aharoni, Land of the Bible (1979): page 434
  2. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Gath (place)
  3. Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land (1990): Gath; Gittites
  4. Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2013): Gath
  5. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Gath
  6. Baly, The Geography of the Bible (1974): page 139
  7. Carta Bible Atlas, 5th Edition (2011)
  8. Dorsey, Roads and Highways of Ancient Israel (1991): I15
  9. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Gath
  10. ESV Bible Atlas (2010)
  11. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1984): Josh 13:3; 1Sam 5:6-12
  12. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Gath
  13. Hammond Atlas of the Bible Lands (2007): Gath
  14. HarperCollins Concise Atlas of the Bible (1991)
  15. Hess, Joshua (1996): table 5
  16. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2003)
  17. Holman Illustrated Guide to Bible Geography (2020): page 80
  18. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Gath
  19. IVP Atlas of Bible History (2006): Gath
  20. IVP Old Testament Bible Background Commentary (2000): Josh 11:22; Josh 13:2-5; 1Sam 5:8; Josh 13:2-5
  21. Lexham Bible Dictionary (2016): Gath
  22. McKinny, Historical Geography of the Administrative Division of Judah (2014): page 167
  23. New Bible Atlas (1985): Gath
  24. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988)
  25. Oxford Bible Atlas, Fourth Edition (2007)
  26. Reader’s Digest Atlas of the Bible (1981): Gath
  27. Schlegel, Satellite Bible Atlas (2016): page 68
  28. Tübingen Bible Atlas (2001): Gat
  29. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Gath
  30. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975): Gath of the Philistines
  31. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010)
  32. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  33. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): 1Kgs 2:8; Mic 1:10
  34. Zondervan Pictorial Bible Atlas (1972): page 85

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 es Safi), 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.

Places with Similar Names

Thumbnail Image Credits

Ori~, Amos Meron, Danny Gershoni, Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2019, Aaadir, יפעת אופק

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.