GATH  , one of the five

chief cities of the Philistines . It is frequently mentioned in the historical books of the Old Testament, and from Amos vi . 2 we conclude that, like Ashdod, it fell to Sargon in 711 . Its site appears to have been known in the 4th century, but the name is now lost . Eusebius (in the Onomasticon) places it near the road from Eleutheropolis (Beit Jibrin) to Diospolis (Ludd) about five Roman miles from the former . The Roman road between these two towns is still traceable, and its milestones remain in places . East of the road at the required distance rises a white cliff, almost isolated, 300 ft. high and full of caves . On the top is the little mud village of Tell es-Safi (" the shining mound "), and beside the village is the mound which marks the site of the Crusaders' castle of Blanchegarde (Alba Custodia), built in 1144 . Tell es-Safi was known by its present name as far back as the 12th century; but it appears not improbable that the strong site here existing represents the ancient Gath . The cliff stands on the south side of the mouth of the Valley of Elah, and Gath appears to have been near this valley (1 Sam. xvii . 2, 52) . This identification is not certain, but it is at least much more probable than the theory which makes Gath, Eleutheropolis, and Beit Jibrin one and the same place .

The site was partially excavated by the

Palestine Exploration Fund in 1899, and remains extending in date back to the early Canaanite period were discovered .