ZIPH. – Two cities of ancient Palestine.
1. Settlement in the Negheb, at the southern extremity of the tribe of Judah (Jos. 15:24), founded by the Calebite Mesa (I Par. 2:42); today Hirbet ez-Zejfeh, 6 km southwest of Kurnub.
2. Settlement mentioned among the cities of Judah, situated in the hill country between Maon and Carmel (Jos. 15:55), whose memory survives in the name Tell ez-Zif, about 7 km southeast of Hebron. Fortified by Roboam (II Par. 10:8), it was still inhabited in the fourth century (Eusebius, Onomast., 92, 15). The desert extending eastward as far as the Dead Sea took its name from the city; David took refuge there to escape Saul’s anger (I Sam. 23:14). The site of the encounter with Jonathan, Hóršáh, is identified with Hirbet Hurésah, about 2 km southwest of Tell ez-Zif; and the hiding place Gibh'ath ha-Hákhiláh (I Sam. 23:19) is identified with Qabrat el-Kólá.