Elah
Terebinth or oak. (1.) Valley of, where the Israelites were encamped when David killed Goliath ( 1 Sam. 17:2 , 19 ). It was near Shochoh of Judah and Azekah (17:1). It is the modern Wady es-Sunt, i.e., “valley of the acacia.” “The terebinths from which the valley of Elah takes its name still cling to their ancient soil. On the west side of the valley, near Shochoh, there is a very large and ancient tree of this kind known as the ’terebinth of Wady Sur,’ 55 feet in height, its trunk 17 feet in circumference, and the breadth of its shade no less than 75 feet. It marks the upper end of the Elah valley, and forms a noted object, being one of the largest terebinths in Palestine.” Geikie’s, The Holy Land, etc. (2.) One of the Edomite chiefs or “dukes” of Mount Seir ( Gen. 36:41 ). (3.) The second of the three sons of Caleb, the son of Jephunneh ( 1 Chr. 4:15 ). (4.) The son and successor of Baasha, king of Israel ( 1 Kings 16:8-10 ). He was killed while drunk by Zimri, one of the captains of his chariots, and was the last king of the line of Baasha. Thus was fullfilled the prophecy of Jehu (6, 7, 11-14). (5.) The father of Hoshea, the last king of Israel ( 2 Kings 15:30 ; 17:1 ).
Enoch
Initiated. (1.) The eldest son of Cain ( Gen. 4:17 ), who built a city east of Eden in the land of Nod, and called it “after the name of his son Enoch.” This is the first “city” mentioned in Scripture. (2.) The son of Jared, and father of Methuselah ( Gen. 5:21 ; Luke 3:37 ). His father was one hundred and sixty-two years old when he was born. After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch “walked with God three hundred years” ( Gen. 5:22-24 ), when he was translated without tasting death. His whole life on earth was three hundred and sixty-five years. He was the “seventh from Adam” ( Jude 1 :14), as distinguished from the son of Cain, the third from Adam. He is spoken of in the catalogue of Old Testament worthies in the Epistle to the Hebrews (11:5). When he was translated, only Adam, so far as recorded, had as yet died a natural death, and Noah was not yet born. Mention is made of Enoch’s prophesying only in Jude 1 :14.
Ephron
Fawn-like. (1.) The son of Zohar a Hittite, the owner of the field and cave of Machpelah (q.v.), which Abraham bought for 400 shekels of silver ( Gen. 23:8-17 ; 25:9 ; 49:29 , 30 ). (2.) A mountain range which formed one of the landmarks on the north boundary of the tribe of Judah ( Josh. 15:9 ), probably the range on the west side of the Wady Beit-Hanina.
Eshtaol
Narrow pass or recess, a town ( Josh. 15:33 ) in the low country, the She-phelah of Judah. It was allotted to the tribe of Dan ( Josh. 19:41 ), and was one of their strongholds. Here Samson spent his boyhood, and first began to show his mighty strength; and here he was buried in the burying-place of Manoah his father ( Judg. 13:25 ; 16:31 ; 18:2 , 8 , 11 , 12 ). It is identified with the modern Yeshua, on a hill 2 miles east of Zorah. Others, however, identify it with Kustul, east of Kirjath-jearim.