Gath: A wine-vat, one of the five royal cities of the Philistines
(Joshua 13:3)
on which the ark brought calamity
(1 Samuel 5:8,9; 6:17) It was famous also
as being the birthplace or residence of Goliath
(1 Samuel 17:4) David fled
from Saul to Achish, king of Gath
(1 Samuel 21:10; 27:2-4; Psalms 56:1) and his
connection with it will account for the words in
(2 Samuel 1:20) It was
afterwards conquered by David
(2 Samuel 8:1) It occupied a strong position
on the borders of Judah and Philistia
(1 Samuel 21:10; 1 Chronicles 18:1) Its site
has been identified with the hill called Tell esSafieh, the Alba
Specula of the Middle Ages, which rises 695 feet above the plain on
its east edge. It is noticed on monuments about B.C. 1500
