Eshtaol

A town on the western border of Judah, afterwards given to Dan, Jos 15:33 ; 19:41. It is named in the history of Samson, Jdg 13:25 ; 16:31.\par

Esh’taol. (a pass). A town in the low country -- the Shefelah -- of Judah, afterwards, allotted to Dan. Jos 15:33; Jos 19:41. Here, Samson spent his boyhood, and hither, after his last exploit, his body was brought. Jdg 13:25; Jdg 16:31; Jdg 18:2; Jdg 18:8; Jdg 18:11-12.

A town in the shephelah or low country of Judah (Jos 15:33; Jos 19:41), allotted to Daniel On the Philistine border between Azotus and Askelon. Here Samson spent his boyhood, and hither his remains were finally carried to the burying ground of Manoah his father (Jdg 13:25; Jdg 16:31; Jdg 18:2; Jdg 18:8; Jdg 18:11-12). Between the Danite towns Zorah and Eshtaol and behind Kirjath Jearim was Mahaneh-Dan, the standing camp of the little host exposed to constant warfare with the Philistines; a neighborhood well calculated to train Samson for his after encounters with that race.

As Kirjath Jearim is now Kuriet-el-Enab, and Zorah is Suz’ah, seven miles S.W. of it, Eshtaol is Kustul, a conical hill an hour’s journey S.E. from Kuriet-el-Enab toward Jerusalem. This fulfills the requisite condition that Kirjath Jearim should lie between Eshtaol and Zorah. E. Wilton (Imperial Bible Dictionary) identifies Eshtaol with Um Eshteiyeh, 12 Roman miles from Beit Jibrin (Eleutheropolis), agreeing with Eusebius’ statement that it is ten miles distant. Jerome says Jarmuth was near, which agrees with the fact that Yarmak is near Eshtaol; Zanua (Zanoah) is also near. Black (Palestine Exploration) identifies Eshtaol with Eshu’a.

(Hebrews Eshtaol’, אְֵשׁתָּאוֹל [but defectively אֶשְׁתָּאֹל in Jdg 13:25; Jdg 18:2; Jdg 18:8; Jdg 18:11], according to Fürst, narrow pass, but Gesenius suggests perhaps petition; Sept. Α᾿σθαώλ v.r. [in Jdg 13:5] Ε᾿σδαόλ, Vulg. Esthaol or [in Jos 15:33] Estaob), a town in the low country of Judah, the Shephelah or plain of Philistia. It is the first of the first group of cities in that district (Jos 15:33) enumerated with Zoreah (Hebrews Zareah), or Zorah, in company with which it is commonly mentioned. Zorah and Eshtaol were two of the towns allotted to the tribe of Dan out of Judah (Jos 19:41). Between them, and behind Kirjath-jearim, was situated Mahaneh-Dan, the camp or stronghold which formed the head- quarters of that little community during their constant encounters with the Philistines. Eshtaol was one of the great strongholds of the Danites, and its inhabitants, with these of Zorah, were noted for their daring. SEE DAN. The 600 men who captured and colonized Laish were natives of these two towns (Jdg 18:1-31). Here, among the old warriors of the tribe, Samson spent his boyhood, and experienced the first impulses of the Spirit of Jehovah; and hither, after his last exploit, his mangled body was brought, up the long slopes of the western hills to its last rest in the burying-place of Manoah his father (Jdg 13:25; Jdg 16:31; Jdg 18:2; Jdg 18:8; Jdg 18:11-12). In the genealogical records of 1 Chronicles the relationship between Eshtaol, Zareah, and Kirjathjearim is still maintained (1Ch 2:53). In the Onomasticon of Eusebius and Jerome (s.v. Α᾿σθαώλ and Ε᾿σθαώλ), Eshtaol is twice mentioned —

(1) as Astaol of Judah, described as then existing between Azotus and Ascalon under the name of Astho (Α᾿σθώ);

(2) as Esthaul of Dan, ten miles north of Eleutheropolis. The latter position is quite in accordance with the indications of the Bible. It is connected with Zorah, Zanoah, and Bethshemesh (Jos 15:33; Jos 19:41); and as these three places have been identified, we may conclude that Eshtaol was situated close to the foot of the mountains of Judah, and in or near wady Surar. Schwarz (Palest. page 102) mentions a village named Stual, west of Zorah, but, apart from the fact that this is corroborated by no other traveler and by no map, the situation is too far west to be "behind Kirjath-jearim" if the latter be Kuryet el-Enab. The village marked on the maps of Robinson and Van de Velde, as Yeshua, and alluded to by the former (Researches, new ed., 3:154, who states that the name is pronounced Eshwa), is nearer the requisite position. Yeshua lies at the eastern extremity of the broad valley which runs up among the hills between Zorah and Bethshemesh. The mountains rise steep and rugged immediately behind it, but the village is encompassed by fruitful fields and orchards. Zorah occupies the top of a conical hill scarcely two niles westward, and a lower ridge connects the hill with the mountains at Yeshua. Upon that ridge the permanent camp, or gathering-place of Dan (Jdg 13:25) was probably fixed (Robinson, Later Res. page 153 sq.). SEE MAHANEH-DAN.

[Eshta’ol]

Town in the lowlands of Judah, allotted to Dan. It was near to this town that Samson spent his early life, and there he was buried. Jos 15:33; Jos 19:41; Jdg 13:25; Jdg 16:31; Jdg 18:2; Jdg 18:8; Jdg 18:11. Identified with Eshu’a, 31° 47’ N, 35° E.

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By: Emil G. Hirsch, M. Seligsohn

A town in the lowland of Judah (Josh. xv. 33), generally mentioned in company with Zoreah, both towns being allotted to Dan out of Judah (ib. xix. 41). Between these two towns there was a place named "Mahaneh-dan," the scene of Samson's boyhood and place where the "Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times" (Judges xiii. 25).

ESHTAOL.—A lowland city of Judah (Jos 15:33) on the borders of Dan 19:41), near which Samson began to feel ‘the spirit of the Lord’ (Jdg 13:25), and was buried (Jdg 16:31); the home of some of the Danites who attacked Laish (Jdg 18:2; Jdg 18:11). It is supposed to be the same as Eshu‘a, near Ain esh-Shems (Beth-shemesh). The Eshtaolites are enumerated among the Calebites (1Ch 2:53).

R. A. S. Macalister.

esh´tā̇-ol (אשׁתּאול, ’eshtā’ōl; Ἀσταώλ, Astaō̇l): A town in the Shephelah of Judah named next to Zorah (Jos 15:33; Jos 19:41). Between these two cities lay Mahaneh-dan (the camp of Dan) where the Spirit of the Lord began to move Samson (Jdg 13:25), and where he was buried (Jdg 16:31). A contingent from Eshtaol formed part of the 600 Danites who captured Laish (Jdg 18:2, Jdg 18:11). It is probably represented by the modern Ashū‛a, about a mile and a half East of Zorah, the modern Ṣar‛ah.