Gi'loh (Heb. Giloh', גַּלֹה, exile [Gesenius] or circle [Furst]; Sept. in Joshua Γιλώ v. r. Γηλώμ and Γηλών, in Sam. Γελώ v.r. Γωλά), the last named (after Goshen and Holon) in the first group of eleven cities in the south-western part (Keil, Joshua page 384) of the hill-country of the tribe of Judah (Jos 15:51); and afterwards the native place or residence of Ahithophel (hence called "the Gilonite" [q.v.], 2Sa 15:12; 2Sa 23:34), whence Absalom, on his way from Jerusalem to Hebron, summoned him (perhaps from a temporary banishment or disgrace at court) to join his rebellious standard (2Sa 15:12), and whither he returned to commit suicide on the failure of his colleagues to adopt his crafty counsel (2Sa 17:23). Josephus calls it Gelmon (Γελμών, Ant. 7:9, 8). De Saulcy (Dead Sea, 1:453) and Schwarz (Palest. page 105) both make it to be the modern Beit-Jala, near Bethlehem; but this is rather the ancient Zelah or Zelzah (q.v.), and the scriptural notices require a different position, perhaps at Rafat, a village with extensive ruins one hour twenty minutes south of Hebron (Van de Velde, Memoir, page 252).
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