Etam

D12 on the Map

Khirbet. el-Khokh. Etam means "hawk ground". A city of Judah fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chron 11:6), probably, from its position in the list, near Bethlehem and Tekoa. The Talmudists locate the sources of the water from which Solomon's gardens and pleasure grounds were fed there, from which it has been inferred that the site was identical with that of Solomon's Pools at el-Eurak, near Bethlehem. Probably it is the same Etam mentioned in 1 Chron 4:3.

The "rock of Etam" was the place to which Samson retired after his slaughter of the Philistines (Judg 15:8,11). It is probably to be located near Zorah at 'Arak Isma' in 1 Chron 4:3 but the location is uncertain.

Judg. 15:8, 11; 2 Chr. 11:6. Judg. 15:8, 11