Gath

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Gath

Meaning - a wine-vat,

Gath is located in the center of the Philistine territory and is one of the five principal cities. It was situated about five miles south of Ekron and fifteen miles from the Mediterranean coast. It was included in the list of cities that Joshua had not conquered (Josh 11:22).

Gath was one of the cities that the Ark of the Covenant was brought to after its capture by the Philistines. God afflicted the Philistines of Ashdod with tumors, they sent the Ark to Gath, where its people were then afflicted with tumors. Afterwards, it was sent to Ekron (1 Sam 5:8-10).

Gath was also famous for being the home of the Anakites, a race of people of extraordinarily large stature whom Joshua failed to completely eliminate. The most famous was Goliath, the giant that David slew in the nearby Valley of Elah. David fled to Gath on two occasions. The first time he acted like a madman to save himself from Achish, king of Gath (1 Sam 21:10-15). The second occasion, Achish is now a friend who this time gives him the city of Ziklag which became his home for about one and a half years. Gath was also the home of the Gittites who became David's faithful servants and refused to leave his side when he fled Jerusalem from his son Absalom (2 Sam 15:18 - 22). Later Sargon II of Assyria took control of Gath in 715 B.C. After this, Gath was no longer mentioned in the Bible.

Gath is believed to be associated with Tell esSafieh, the Alba Specula of the Middle Ages, it is 695 feet above the plain.

Scriptures

Joshua 11: 22

1 Samuel 5: 8

1 Samuel 6: 17

1 Samuel 7: 14

1 Samuel 17: 4,23,52

1 Samuel 21: 10,12

1 Samuel 27: 2-4,11

2 Samuel 1: 20

2 Samuel 15: 18

2 Samuel 21: 20,22

1 Kings 2: 39-41

2 Kings 12: 17

1 Chronicles 7: 21

1 Chronicles 8: 13

1 Chronicles 18: 1

1 Chronicles 20: 6,8

2 Chronicles 11: 8

2 Chronicles 26: 6

Psalms 56:1

Amos 6: 2

Micah 1: 10