TheValley of Elah,Ella Valley ("the valley of theterebinth";[1] from theHebrew:עמק האלהEmek HaElah), orWadi es-Sunt (Arabic:وادي السنط), is a long, shallow valley in theShephelah area ofIsrael, best known from theHebrew Bible as the place whereDavid defeatedGoliath (1 Samuel 17:2;1 Samuel 17:19). It is home to several important archaeological sites, including those identified as the ancient towns ofAzekah andSocho (1 Samuel 17:1). Rising up from the valley on its extreme southeast end lies the hilltop ruinAdullam, and on its north lie the ruins of the ancient fortress city ofKhirbet Qeiyafa, which is identified with the ancient town of Sha'araim (1 Samuel 17:52).
The valley is named after its indigenous trees - in Hebrew after the large and shadyterebinth trees (Pistacia atlantica,elah), and in Arabic after the white acacia trees (Acacia albida,sunt). On the west side of the valley, near Socho, there is a very large and ancient terebinth tree, 55 feet (17 m) in height with a trunk 17 feet (5.2 m) in circumference and a canopy at least 75 feet (23 m) in diameter. This tree is notable for being one of the largest terebinths in the area, and marks the upper end of the valley.
Since the early 1970s, the valley has also contained a largesatelliterelay station, with anantenna farm containing some 120satellite dishes of various sizes. From 2010 to 2014, the region around the valley was believed to be threatened byshale oil extraction through the CCR ground-heating process, with theGreen Zionist Alliance and the grassroots groupSave Adullam[usurped], among others, working to stop exploitation of the region.[2][3][4] The plan was ultimately blocked in 2014 bya zoning committee decision. In July 2019, the Elah Valley came under theIsrael Nature and Parks Authority, owing largely to its historical importance and the desire to curtail the encroaching city limits ofBeit Shemesh to its north.[5]
In 2009, ProfessorYosef Garfinkel discovered a fortified city from theIron Age II dated sometime between 1050 and 915 BC atKhirbet Qeiyafa, southwest ofJerusalem in the Elah Valley.[6] The fortifications have been said to support the biblical account of theUnited Monarchy, the theory that Israel in the time of King David at the beginning of Iron Age II was more than simply a tribal chiefdom.[7] Others are skeptical and suggest it might represent either aJudahite orCanaanite fortress.[8]
In the late 19th century,Claude Conder andHerbert Kitchener described the Elah Valley as being "one of the most fertile districts in Palestine. It is an open flat vale about half a mile across, and covered with corn; a narrow trench runs down the center full of white pebbles worn by the water in winter. Here and there largeterebinths grow along its course (Butmet Wâdy es Sûr), and solitaryoak trees (Ballûtet Kŭssis). On either side rise the stony hills covered with brushwood and wild growth."[9]
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Numerous plant species are native to the Elah Valley, including:
Animal species native to the Elah Valley include:
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