(Heb. E'phes Dammim', דִּמַּים אֶפֶס, appar. boundary of blood; Sept. Ἀφεσδομίν or Ἀφεσδομμείν v.r. Ε᾿φερμόν, Vulg. fines Dommin), a place in the tribe of Judah between Shochoh and Azekah, where the Philistines were encamped when David fought with Goliath (1 Samuel 17:1). The similar, but not parallel passage (1 Chronicles 11:13), has the shorter form Pas-Dammim. The name was probably derived from its being the scene of frequent sanguinary encounters between Israel and the Philistines. On his way from Beit-Jibrin to Jerusalem, Van de Velde came past a ruined site on the high northward-looking brow of wady Musur, about one hour E. by S. of Beit-Netif, called Khirbet Damun, which he has no doubt represents the ancient Ephes-Dammim, and "which fixes the place of the camp of Goliath just at its foot, where the valley contracts, and may, indeed, be called the pass [or extremity] of Dammim" (Memoir, page 290). In that case the narrative of 1 Samuel 17:1-58, becomes plain: "the gorge" (הִגִּיְא ) between the battle-lines of the two armies (1 Samuel 17:3), and along which the first rout and pursuit occurred (1 Samuel 17:52), was no other than the wady Musur itself, which is so narrow immediately at this spot. (See ELAH (VALLEY OF).)
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More