KEILAH
KEILAH (
Κεϊλά LXX.;
Κίλλα, Joseph.
Antiq. 6.13.1;
Κηλά, Euseb.), a city in the tribe of Judah (
Josh. 15.44), 8 M. P. from Eleutheropolis. (Euseb.
Onomast. s. v.) When the city was besieged by the Philistines, David relieved it, but the thankless inhabitants would have delivered him into the hands of Saul. (1
Sam. 23.1--13.)
It assisted in the building of the walls of Jerusalem (
Neh. 3.17, 18); and, according to tradition, the prophet Habakkuk was buried here. (Sozomen,
H. E. 7.29; Niceph.
H. E. 12.48; Reland,
Palaest. p. 698; Winer,
Biblisch. Realwört. s. v.; Von Raumer,
Palest. p. 207.)
[
E.B.J]
