Gath in the Bible

Meaning: a wine-press

Exact Match

There were no Anakim left in the land of the children of Israel; only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod [of Philistia] some remained.

Verse ConceptsSurvivors Of The Nations

from the Shihor east of Egypt to the border of Ekron on the north (considered to be Canaanite territory)—the five Philistine rulers of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as the Avvites

Verse ConceptsRulersFive People

From there it crossed eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin and extended to Rimmon, turning toward Neah.

Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon, along with the grazing areas of each -- a total of four cities.

Verse ConceptsFour Cities

From the half-tribe of Manasseh they assigned Taanach and Gath Rimmon, along with the grazing areas of each -- a total of two cities.

Verse ConceptsTwo Cities

So they assembled all the leaders of the Philistines and asked, "What should we do with the ark of the God of Israel?" They replied, "The ark of the God of Israel should be moved to Gath." So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.

Verse ConceptsRulers

But it happened that after they had taken it to Gath, the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing an extremely great panic [because of the deaths from the plague], for He struck the people of the city, both young and old, and tumors broke out on them.

These are the gold sores that the Philistines brought as a guilt offering to the Lord -- one for each of the following cities: Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.

Verse ConceptsRestitution

The cities that the Philistines had captured from Israel were returned to Israel, from Ekron to Gath. Israel also delivered their territory from the control of the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.

Verse ConceptsAmoritesCities In IsraelRestoring ThingsTime Of Peace

And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

Verse ConceptsWeights And Measures, LinearGiantsChampions

And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.

Verse ConceptsChampions

And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.

Verse ConceptsGatesRoadsTribes Of Israel

And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam. When David’s brothers and his father’s whole family heard, they went down and joined him there.

Verse ConceptsEscaping, Physical ThingsExamples Of EscapingCavesPeople In Caves

And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

Verse ConceptsAliancesSix To Seven HundredRelations With ForeignersSix Hundred And Above

And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.

Verse ConceptsActual WidowsDavid's Wives

And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.

Verse ConceptsCustomExterminationDo Not Tell

Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

Verse ConceptsLove, And The WorldUncircumcisionStreetsDo Not TellRejoicing In Evil

And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

Verse ConceptsPassing BySix To Seven HundredSix Hundred And Above

Dividing his forces into three groups, he set Joab as commander of one third of his army, Zeruiah's son Abishai, Joab's brother, as commander of another third, and Ittai from Gath as commander of another third. The king informed the army, "I'm going out to battle with you, too."

Verse ConceptsFractions, One ThirdFighting TogetherDividing Into Three Groups

And there was again a battle, at Gath; and there was a man there of great stature, that had on each hand six fingers, and on each foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to Raphah.

Verse ConceptsFingersGiantsDefectivenessToesSix ThingsFingers Of PeopleTwenty Some

These four were born to Raphah, in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

Verse ConceptsFour People

And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two servants of Shimei's ran away to Achish son of Maachah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei saying, Behold, thy servants are in Gath.

Verse ConceptsFugitivesServants, BadThree YearsOthers Who FledTwo Other MenExamples Of Bad Servants

Then Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath, to Achish, to seek his servants; and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.

Verse ConceptsPreparing To TravelSaddling DonkeysThose Looking For People

And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had come again.

Then, came up Hazael, king of Syria, and fought against Gath, and captured it, - so Hazael set his face to go up against Jerusalem.

Verse ConceptsFacesAttackingWhole HeartednessCapturing Cities

He, restored the boundary of Israel, from the entering in of Hamath, unto the sea of the waste plain, - according to the word of Yahweh, God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, son of Amittai, the prophet, who was of Gath-hepher.

Verse ConceptsSeaWord Of GodNamed Prophets Of The LordWords To Individuals Fulfilled

and Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son, and Ezer, and Elad. And the men of Gath born in the land slew them, because they came down to take their cattle.

and Beriah, and Shema, who were chief fathers of the inhabitants of Ajalon; they drove away the inhabitants of Gath.

Verse ConceptsPeoples Who Fled

And after this it came to pass that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and its towns out of the hand of the Philistines.

And there was again a battle, at Gath; and there was a man there of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot; and he also was born to Rapha.

Verse ConceptsFingersToesSix ThingsGiantsFingers Of People

These were born to Rapha in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

Verse ConceptsGiants

And he went forth and fought against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines.

Verse ConceptsWalls

I will give thanks to Yahweh according to his righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of Yahweh Most High. For the Chief Musician; on an instrument of Gath. A Psalm by David.

Verse ConceptsPraiseGod, Titles And Names OfPrayer, And WorshipSingingThank OfferingThe Most HighWe Thank God

But you, God, bring them down to the Pit of corruption; bloodthirsty and deceitful people will not live out half their days. But I put my full confidence in you. To the Director: A special Davidic psalm to the tune of "A Silent Dove Far Away," when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

Verse ConceptsDeceit, Practice OfDeceit Leading to JudgmentHell, As An ExperienceLiesPitsLiarsThe Fate Of The WickedAbasing PeopleHalf Of ThingsPits As A Term For Graves

For the music director; according to the yonath-elem-rechovim style; a prayer of David, written when the Philistines captured him in Gath. Have mercy on me, O God, for men are attacking me! All day long hostile enemies are tormenting me.

Verse ConceptsMusicThose OppressedAll Day

Turn us again, Yahweh God of Armies. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved. For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph.

Verse ConceptsGod, Joy OfFace Of GodRestoring NationsGod Giving LightSmiling

that they may know that you alone, whose name is Yahweh, are the Most High over all the earth. For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

Verse ConceptsGod, The LordGod, Uniqueness OfMonotheismOne GodThe Most HighNo Other Is GodThe Lord Is GodThe EarthNot Being AloneGod Being With Youislam


“And I will cut off and destroy the inhabitants from Ashdod,
And the ruler who holds the scepter, from Ashkelon;
And I will unleash My power and turn My hand [in judgment] against Ekron,
And the rest of the Philistines [in Gath and the towns dependent on these four Philistine cities] shall die,”
Says the Lord God.

Verse ConceptsSurvivors DestroyedGod's HandGod KillingGod's Hands In OppositionGod Will Kill The PeoplesGod Killing Individuals

Pass ye over to Calneh and see, And go thence to Hamath the great, And go down to Gath of the Philistines, Are they better than these kingdoms? Greater is their border than your border?

Verse ConceptsAdvantages

Therefore shalt thou give parting-gifts to Moresheth-Gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.

Verse ConceptsThose Who Deceived

Thematic Bible



Tell it not in Gath; weep not at all; in Beth-le-aphrah roll yourselves in the dust.

(from the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is counted as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron), and those of the Avvim,

These are the golden tumors that the Philistines returned as a guilt offering to the LORD: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron,

Pass over to Calneh, and see, and from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Or is their territory greater than your territory,


And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said to him, "Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, 'Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?" And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. read more.
So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, "Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?"

So David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's widow. And when it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought him. read more.
Then David said to Achish, "If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given me in one of the country towns, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?" So that day Achish gave him Ziklag. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. And the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.


And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

And there was again war with the Philistines, and Elhanan the son of Jair struck down Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam. And there was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number, and he also was descended from the giants. And when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David's brother, struck him down. read more.
These were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.


And all his servants passed by him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king. Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home. You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go I know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you." read more.
But Ittai answered the king, "As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be." And David said to Ittai, "Go then, pass on." So Ittai the Gittite passed on with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.


But it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei's servants ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And when it was told Shimei, "Behold, your servants are in Gath," Shimei arose and saddled a donkey and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants. Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. And when Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and returned,


There was none of the Anakim left in the land of the people of Israel. Only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod did some remain.


Then Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again from Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities that he had taken from Jehoahaz his father in war. Three times Joash defeated him and recovered the cities of Israel.


At that time Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath and took it. But when Hazael set his face to go up against Jerusalem,


(from the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is counted as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron), and those of the Avvim,


So David was not willing to take the ark of the LORD into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.


He went out and made war against the Philistines and broke through the wall of Gath and the wall of Jabneh and the wall of Ashdod, and he built cities in the territory of Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines.


Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,


After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its villages out of the hand of the Philistines.


So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?" They answered, "Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath." So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there.


After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.


The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.