GATH - (Hebrew meaning, 'a wine-press.') A city of the Philistine Pentapolis. It is mentioned in Jos.11.22 as a place where the Anakim took refuge; but Joshua is significantly silent about the apportioning of the city to any of the tribes. The Ark was brought here from Ashdod (1 S.5.8) and thence to Ekron (5.10). It was the home of Goliath (1 S.17.4, 2 S.21.19), and after the rout of the Philistines at Ephes-dammim, it was the limit of their pursuit (1 S.17.52 [LXX]). David during his outlawry took refuge with its king, Achish (1 S.21.10). A bodyguard of Gittites was attached to David's person under the leadership of a certain Ittai; these remained faithful to the king after the revolt of Absalom (2 S.15.18). Shimei's slaves ran away to Gath, and he followed them there in disregard of Solomon's order not to leave Jerusalem (1 K.2.40). According to the Chronicler, Gath was captured by David (1 Ch.18.1), suggesting that he identified the unknown Methegh-ammah mentioned in 2 S.8.1 with Gath. According to 2 Ch.11.8, the city was fortified by Rehoboam, was captured by Hazael of Syria (2 K.12.17) and later retaken from the Philistines by Uzziah (2 Ch.26.6). Amos, in a passage which is probably a later interpolation, refers to it in terms which imply that some great calamity has befallen it (6.2); the later prophets, though they mention other cities of the Pentapolis, are silent respecting Gath which dropped out of existence. Its final destruction was at the hands of Sargon the Assyrian invader who captured it along with other Philistine cities in 711 BC. The original site of Gath has not yet been certainly identified. The topographical references in Scripture indicate a site in the Shephelah, near the borders of Hebrew territory, not far from Ekron in N. Philistia. Grollenberg proposes the modern 'Araq el-Menshiyeh, but others point to the great mound Tell es-Safiyeh as the most probable site for the identification of Gath. It stands at the mouth of the valley of Elah, and clearly represents a large and important town. Limited excavation has produced archaeological material going back to the early Canaanite period, but nothing definitely to identify the site with the ancient Gath. [Article: Dictionary of the Bible, J.Hastings, 2nd Ed., T&T.Clark, 1963 - R.A.S.M. - A.G.Mc.L.] See Wikipedia article GATH (city)