Places in the Bible Today:

Eshtaol

Data

Translated NamesEshtaol, Eshtaolites, Eshtaulites
Typesettlement
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

5 Possible Identifications

  1. Khirbet Deir Shubeib (modern): 35% confidence
    1. satellite view of the region around Khirbet Deir ShubeibKhirbet Deir Shubeib

  2. Eshtaol (modern): 20% confidence
    1. cityscape of EshtaolEshtaol

  3. Artuf (modern): less than 10% confidence
    1. boiler at ArtufArtuf

  4. Khirbet Deir Abu Kabus (modern): less than 10% confidence
    1. cityscape including Khirbet Deir Abu Kabus at the summitKhirbet Deir Abu Kabus

  5. Khirbet esh Sheikh Ibrahim (modern): less than 10% confidence
    1. satellite view of the region around Khirbet esh Sheikh IbrahimKhirbet esh Sheikh Ibrahim

Verses (8)

Josh-Ruth (7)
Josh 15:33, 19:41
Judg 13:25, 16:31, 18:2, 18:8, 18:11
1Sam-Esth (1)
1Chr 2:53

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Biblemapper.com418
Logos FactbookEshtaol
OpenBible.info (2007)Eshtaol
OpenBible.infoa355b6e (Eshtaol)
TIPNREshtaol@Jos.15.33
UBS Names Databaseot ID_419
WikidataQ3593

Sources

  1. Aharoni, Land of the Bible (1979): page 434
  2. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Eshtaol (place)
  3. Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land (1990): Eshtaol; Estaol
  4. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Eshtaol
  5. Baly, The Geography of the Bible (1974): page 140
  6. Carta Bible Atlas, 5th Edition (2011)
  7. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Eshtaol
  8. ESV Bible Atlas (2010)
  9. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Eshtaol
  10. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (2011): Eshtaol
  11. HarperCollins Concise Atlas of the Bible (1991)
  12. Hess, Joshua (1996): table 11
  13. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2003)
  14. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Eshtaol
  15. IVP Old Testament Bible Background Commentary (2000): Judg 13:25
  16. McKinny, Historical Geography of the Administrative Division of Judah (2014): page 172
  17. New Bible Dictionary (1996): Eshtaolites
  18. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988)
  19. Reader’s Digest Atlas of the Bible (1981): Eshtaol
  20. Tübingen Bible Atlas (2001): Estaol
  21. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Eshtaol
  22. Woudstra, Joshua (1981): 15:33
  23. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975): Eshtaol
  24. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010)
  25. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  26. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): Judg 13:25

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others, for example, then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2019, יעקב, yiftah-s, יעקב

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.