Ziph

flowing.

this mouth or mouthful; falsehood

(battlement ), the name of two towns in Judah.

1. In the south, named between Ithnan and Telem. ( Joshua 15:24 ) It does not appear again in the history, nor has any trace of has been met with.
2. In the highland district, named between Carmel and Juttah. ( Joshua 15:55 ) The place is immortalized by its connection with David. ( 1 Samuel 23:14 1 Samuel 23:15 1 Samuel 23:24 ; 26:2 ) These passages show that at that time it had near it a wilderness (i,e, a waste pasture-ground) and a wood. The latter has disappeared but the former remains. The name of Zif if, found about three miles south of Hebron, attached to a rounded hill of some 100 feet in height, which is called Tell Zif .
3. Son of Jehaleleel. ( 1 Chronicles 4:16 )

ZIPH (1)

zif (ziph; Ozeib, or Ziph):

(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 23:14,15,24; 26:2); the Ziphites (1 Samuel 23:19; 26:1; compare Ps 54 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; 4:16. In connection with this last (compare 4:23) it is noticeable that Ziph is one of the four names occurring on the Hebrew stamped jar handles with the added la-melekh, "to the king."

The site is Tell Zif, 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.

E. W. G. Masterman

ZIPH (2)

(ziph, meaning unknown):

(1) A grandson of Caleb (1 Chronicles 2:42); the Septuagint has Zeiph.

(2) A son of Jehallelel (1 Chronicles 4:16). In the Septuagint's Codex Alexandrinus reads Ziphai, but Codex Vaticanus has the totally different form Ameachei.