Places in the Bible Today:

Elath

Data

Translated NamesElat, Elath, Eloth
Typesisland or settlement
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

4 Possible Identifications

  1. Aqaba (modern): 55% confidence

    1. ruins at AqabaAqaba

  2. Tell el Kheleifeh (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. satellite view of the region around Tell el KheleifehTell el Kheleifeh

  3. another name for Ezion-geber (ancient): less than 10% confidence. It may be:

    1. panorama of Jezirat FaraunJezirat Faraun

    2. satellite view of the region around Tell el KheleifehTell el Kheleifeh

  4. Eilat (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. cityscape of EilatEilat

Verses (6)

Gen-Deut (1)
Deut 2:8
1Sam-Esth (5)
1Kgs 9:26
2Kgs 14:22, 16:6
2Chr 8:17, 26:2

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Biblemapper.com385
Logos FactbookEloth
OpenBible.info (2007)Elath, Eloth
OpenBible.infoaf0ac29 (Elath)
TIPNRElath@Deu.2.8, Eloth@1Ki.9.26
UBS Names Databaseot ID_195, ot ID_197
WikidataQ3721153

Sources

  1. Aharoni, Land of the Bible (1979): page 434
  2. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Elath (place)
  3. Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land (1990): Elath; Eloth; El-paran; Berenike; Aila
  4. Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2013): Elath
  5. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Elath, Eloth
  6. Baly, The Geography of the Bible (1974): page 209
  7. Carta Bible Atlas, 5th Edition (2011): Elath
  8. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Elath
  9. ESV Bible Atlas (2010): Elath
  10. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1984): 2Chr 26:2
  11. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Elath, Eloth
  12. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (2011): Eloth
  13. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2003): Elath
  14. Holman Illustrated Guide to Bible Geography (2020): pages 25, 112
  15. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Elath; Eloth
  16. IVP Atlas of Bible History (2006): page 81
  17. IVP Old Testament Bible Background Commentary (2000): Deut 2:8; Deut 2:8; 1Kgs 22:48
  18. New Bible Atlas (1985): Elath
  19. New Bible Dictionary (1996): Elath (Eloth), Ezion-Geber
  20. Oxford Bible Atlas, Fourth Edition (2007): Elath
  21. Schlegel, Satellite Bible Atlas (2016): Elath/Etsion-geber
  22. Tübingen Bible Atlas (2001): Ela
  23. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Elath
  24. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010): Elath
  25. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010): Elath, Eloth
  26. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): Deut 2:8; Gen 14:5-7
  27. Zondervan Pictorial Bible Atlas (1972): page 218

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 (in this case, Aqaba), 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

Bel Adone, Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2019, Abdozaghloul, Tango7000

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.