zif ( זיף , zı̄ph ; Ὀζείβ , Ozeı́b , or Ζίφ , Zı́ph ):
(1) A town in the hill country of Judah, mentioned along with Maon, Carmel and Jutah (Joshua 15:55 ). It is chiefly celebrated in connection with the earlier history of David: "David ... remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph" (1 Samuel 23:14 , 1 Samuel 23:15 , 1 Samuel 23:24; 1 Samuel 26:2 ); the Ziphites (1 Samuel 23:19; 1 Samuel 26:1; compare Psalm 54:1-7 title) sought to betray him to Saul, but David escaped. Ziph was fortified by Rehoboam ( 2 Chronicles 11:8 ). The name also occurs in 1 Chronicles 2:42; 1 Chronicles 4:16 . In connection with this last (compare 1 Chronicles 4:23 ) it is noticeable that Ziph is one of the four names occurring on the Hebrew stamped jar handles with the added למלך , la -melekh , "to the king."
The site is Tell Zı̂f , 4 miles Southeast of Hebron, conspicuous hill 2,882 ft. above sea-level; there are cisterns and, to the East, some ruins ( PEF , III, 312,315).
(2) A town in the Negeb of Judah (Joshua 15:24 ), site unknown.
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) was edited by James Orr, John Nuelsen, Edgar Mullins, Morris Evans, and Melvin Grove Kyle and was published complete in 1939. This web site includes the complete text.
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