Azekah, a term that originates from a root meaning “dig up” or “hoe,” refers to a fortress city in the Shephelah region that was strategically positioned to guard the upper reaches of the Valley of Elah. The site is now known as Tell Zakariyeh (Tel ʽAzeqa), located approximately 16 miles northwest of Hebron.

The first mention of Azekah is in Joshua 10:5-11, which describes a joint attack by five Canaanite kings against the city of Gibeon. Joshua and his forces, in their efforts to defend Gibeon, pursued the Canaanite armies “as far as Azekah and Makkedah,” covering a distance of about 19 miles. Subsequently, the city of Azekah was assigned to the tribe of Judah (Jos 15:20, 35).

During the reign of King Saul (1079-1050 B.C.E.), the Philistines assembled their forces between Socoh and Azekah, presenting Goliath as their champion. The Israelites, upon their arrival, faced off against the Philistine army across the Valley of Elah until David’s unexpected victory over Goliath sent the Philistines into disarray (1Sa 17:1-53).

After the division of the nation following King Solomon’s death around 931 B.C.E., King Rehoboam of Judah fortified Azekah, along with Lachish and other key cities (2Ch 11:5-10). Excavations at Tell Zakariyeh have uncovered remnants of walls and towers, as well as evidence of a fortified citadel at the highest point of the location.

When Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian forces invaded the kingdom of Judah (609-598 B.C.E.), Azekah and Lachish were the final two fortified cities to fall before the eventual capture of Jerusalem itself (Jer 34:6, 7). This historical event was seemingly confirmed through the discovery of the inscribed Lachish Letters. One of these letters, Letter number IV, presumably a communication from a military outpost to the military commander at Lachish, reads in part: “we are watching for the signals of Lachish, according to all the indications which my lord hath given, for we cannot see Azekah.” If this letter was indeed written during the Babylonian attack, it suggests that Azekah had already been conquered, and hence no signals were being received from that fortress.

After a 70-year period of desolation, Azekah was among the cities resettled by the Jewish exiles returning to their homeland (Ne 11:25, 30).

Azekah: A Significant Fortress City in Judah’s History

The biblical reference to Azekah can be found in Jeremiah 34:6-7, where the prophet Jeremiah speaks to Zedekiah, the king of Judah, in Jerusalem. This occurs when the Babylonian king’s army was battling against Jerusalem and the remaining cities of Judah, specifically Lachish and Azekah. These fortified cities were the last holdouts among the cities of Judah.

Azekah was a fortress city situated in the southwestern part of Judah, in the Valley of Elah, near Lachish. The Book of Joshua suggests that Azekah was already a significant city during the time of the conquest (Joshua 10:10-11; 15:35). It is also mentioned in 1 Samuel 17:1 as being located in the Valley of Elah.

During the reign of King Rehoboam (931-913 B.C.E.), additional defenses were built in Azekah (2 Chronicles 11:9), further establishing its status as one of Judah’s fortified cities. By the time of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in 587 B.C.E., Lachish and Azekah were the only cities, apart from Jerusalem itself, that were still resisting the Babylonians.

It’s also noteworthy that in these biblical texts, Azekah is often associated with the nearby city of Lachish, indicating their close geographical and historical ties.

Tracing the Legacy of Azekah Through History and Archaeology

The hill known as Tel Azekah, once referred to by locals in the early 19th century as Tell Zakariyeh, has a rich history that intertwines with biblical events. J. Schwartz was the pioneer in identifying the hilltop ruin of Tell-Zakariyeh as the site of Azekah, based on written sources. This identification gained support from the esteemed archaeologist William F. Albright. By 1953, the Government Naming Committee in Israel had officially designated the name “Tel Azekah” to the site formerly known as Khirbet Tall Zakariya.

The explorer Edward Robinson encountered the site of Tell Zakariyeh in 1838, which was adjacent to the modern village of Az-Zakariyya (now the moshav Zekharia). French explorer Victor Guérin and C.R. Conder had differing opinions on the identification of the site mentioned in the Book of I Maccabees (6:32) and its relation to the biblical Azekah. C.W.M. van de Velde, who visited between 1851-1852, also contributed to the debate, suggesting that Tell Zakariya and the adjacent Kefr Zakariya were not the same as Josephus’ Beit Zacharia, where the battle between Judas Maccabeus and the Grecian army took place. The exact identification of these sites remains a topic of scholarly discussion.

Guérin noted that the ancient name Azekah seemed to have vanished, yet scholars believe that the town’s old name can be discerned in the modern corruption “az-Zakariyeh.” Conder, however, expressed reservations about linking Tell Zakariya with the biblical Azekah.

The Madaba Map, a 6th-century CE mosaic, references the site in Greek uncials as the location of St. Zacharias, Beth Zacharias. Epiphanius of Salamis also mentioned that in his time, Azekah was known by the Syriac name Ḥǝwarta.

Modern Israeli archaeologists have taken note of the adjacent ruin now known as Khirbet Qeiyafa, which is located opposite Socho. Given its unusual size and the nature of the fortifications, there is a strong argument to be made that this site could indeed be the biblical Azekah.

The historical records from Assyrian king Sennacherib and the Lachish letters provide a window into the past, with the latter suggesting that Azekah had been destroyed, as it was no longer visible at the time of the letter’s writing. This corresponds to the period just before the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem, which is dated to 587–586 B.C.E. The ongoing archaeological efforts continue to shed light on the significance of Azekah in the ancient world, piecing together its role in biblical narratives and Assyrian conquests.

Azekah: Unearthing the Fortress City in Judah’s History

Azekah, the fortress city, is referenced in Assyrian records as a city captured during a campaign in the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah (715–687/686 B.C.E.). This campaign was led by either King Sargon II or his successor, Sennacherib. The text, though damaged in some areas, provides a glimpse into this historical event:

“(3) […Ashur, my lord, encourage]ed me and against the land of Ju[dah I marched. In] the course of my campaign, the tribute of the kings of Philistia? I received…

(4) […with the mig]ht of Ashur, my lord, the province of [Hezek]iah of Judah like […

(5) […] the city of Azekah, his stronghold, which is between my [bo]rder and the land of Judah […

(6) [like the nest of the eagle? ] located on a mountain ridge, like pointed iron daggers without number reaching high to heaven […

(7) [Its walls] were strong and rivaled the highest mountains, to the (mere) sight, as if from the sky [appears its head? …

(8) [by means of beaten (earth) ra]mps, mighty? battering rams brought near, the work of […], with the attack by foot soldiers, [my] wa[rriors…

(9) […] they had seen [the approach of my cav]alry and they had heard the roar of the mighty troops of the god Ashur and [their] he[arts] became afraid […

(10) [The city Azekah I besieged,] I captured, I carried off its spoil, I destroyed, I devastated, [I burned] with fire… (COS 2:304)”—Ahituv (2008), p. 70

The site of Azekah was excavated in 1898-9 by F.J. Bliss and R.A.S. Macalister on behalf of the Palestine Exploration Fund. The hilltop had been leveled, and a small town surrounded by a wall, fortified with massive towers, was built on it. This town was likely constructed in the 10th century B.C.E., during the United Monarchy, and was part of a series of fortresses built along Judah’s boundaries to protect major roads and strategic points. Azekah is also mentioned in one of the Lachish letters, highlighting its significance towards the end of the Judean kingdom.

The city is also referenced in the Lachish letters, a collection of military communications from the time. Lachish Letter 4 implies that Azekah had been destroyed, as it was no longer visible from the letter’s point of origin. The letter suggests a state of alarm and indicates that Azekah had likely fallen to enemy forces. This event is dated to the period just before the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem, which took place in 587–586 B.C.E.

“And inasmuch as my lord sent to me concerning the matter of Bet Harapid, there is no one there. And as for Semakyahu, Semayahu took him and brought him up to the city. And your servant is not sending him there any[more -], but when morning comes round [-]. And may (my lord) be apprised that we are watching for the fire signals of Lachish according to all the signs which my lord has given, because we cannot see Azeqah.“

Archaeological excavations at Azekah began in 1898 and have recently resumed. The findings suggest that Azekah was originally a Canaanite city, inhabited as early as 1500 B.C.E. A rectangular fortress with towers at each corner was also discovered. However, there is no consensus on the dating of these fortifications. Some archaeologists suggest they were built during the time of Rehoboam (922–915 B.C.E.), while others propose an earlier date. More recently, some experts have dated the fortress to the eighth century B.C.E., after the time of Rehoboam (Cogan and Stern, “Azekah,” 124).

Deciphering the Historical Identity of Azekah and Its Surroundings

The historical site of Azekah, once known as Tell Zakariyeh, has been a subject of interest and debate among historians and archaeologists. In the early 19th century, the hilltop ruin was locally called Tell Zakariyeh. It was J. Schwartz who first suggested that this site could be the biblical Azekah, a view later supported by archaeologist William F. Albright.

In the mid-19th century, Edward Robinson, a British-American explorer, passed by the site of Tell Zakariyeh, which was near a modern village sharing the same name. This village, Az-Zakariyya, was depopulated in 1948 and is now the site of the moshav Zekharia. French explorer Victor Guérin and others debated whether this site was the same as the one mentioned in the Book of I Maccabees, which describes a battle between Judas Maccabeus and the Grecian army.

Theodosius, an archdeacon who traveled to the Holy Land around 518-530 CE, wrote about a place six miles from Beit Gubrin, where the prophet Zechariah was said to be buried. Israeli archaeologist Yoram Tsafrir identified this location with the Arab village of Az-Zakariyya, north of Beit Gubrin. Tsafrir noted that this location corresponds with the “Beth Zechariah” inscribed on the Madaba Map, which is placed near Saphitha (now Kh. es-Safi).

The Madaba Map, a 6th-century CE mosaic, refers to the site as the resting place of St. Zacharias, Beth Zacharias. Additionally, Epiphanius of Salamis mentioned that in his time, Azekah was known by the Syriac name Ḥǝwarta.

Despite the debates and differing opinions, most scholars today believe that the ruins of a Byzantine church turned mosque in the other Khirbet Beit Zakariyyah, located to the east, could be the burial place of the prophet Zechariah, as depicted in the Madaba Map.

The identification of Tell Zakariyeh with the biblical Azekah has been met with some skepticism, but recent archaeological findings suggest that due to the size and nature of the fortifications at an adjacent site known as Khirbet Qeiyafa, there is a possibility that this could indeed be the biblical Azekah. These discussions and discoveries continue to add layers to our understanding of the region’s history and the locations mentioned in ancient texts.

Uncovering the Past: The Archaeological Journey of Tel Azekah

Archaeological Discoveries at Tell Zakariya

Research by the Palestine Exploration Fund (PEF) in the late 19th century, led by C.W. Wilson, concluded that the site of Tell Zakariya had been occupied since before the Israelites arrived in the region. It appeared to have been abandoned shortly after the Romans took control. The ruins show that the defensive walls had been rebuilt multiple times, and the construction style of the stones suggests they date back to the Maccabean period.

PEF researchers Conder and Kitchener, in their comprehensive work “Survey of Western Palestine,” noted the presence of an ancient olive press among the ruins on the southern side of the summit.

Excavations at Tel Azekah

Excavations by English archaeologists Frederick J. Bliss and R. A. Stewart Macalister between 1897 and 1900 uncovered a fortress, water systems, and hideout caves that were used during the Bar Kokhba revolt. They also found artifacts such as LMLK seals. The main excavation sites were on the summit’s southwestern end, where they discovered the foundations of three towers, and the southeastern corner, where the fortress was primarily constructed with hewn stones.

Azekah was one of the earliest sites to be excavated in the Holy Land. Bliss and Macalister conducted their work over three seasons, totaling 17 weeks. To preserve the site, they refilled all their excavation trenches at the end of their work. Today, the site is part of Britannia Park, managed by the Jewish National Fund.

Recent Surveys and Excavations

In 2008 and 2010, a survey was conducted by Oded Lipschitz, Yuval Gadot, and Shatil Imanuelov from Tel-Aviv University’s Institute of Archaeology.

The Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition, which is part of the regional Elah Valley Project, began in the summer of 2012. Directed by Prof. Oded Lipschits, Dr. Yuval Gadot, and Prof. Manfred Oeming, the project is a collaboration among numerous universities worldwide. In its first season, 300 volunteers worked for six weeks and discovered walls, installations, and a plethora of artifacts. As the site is within a public park, any structures that can be preserved are intended to be conserved and displayed for visitors.

The ongoing archaeological work at Tel Azekah not only provides insights into the ancient past but also helps to connect the dots between historical records and the physical remnants of civilizations that once thrived in the region.

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