Zif, Hebron

Zif is identified with the biblical town of Ziph.[3][4] It appears several times in the Hebrew Bible as a town in the vicinity of Hebron that belongs to Tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:20–55). The nearby "Wilderness of Ziph" is mentioned as a place where David hides himself from Saul (1 Samuel 26:1–2). Later, the town of Ziph is said to be fortified by Rehoboam (1 Kings 11:5–8). Its name was found on a number of royal Judahite LMLK seals along with those of Hebron, Socoh and MMST.[5]

Iron Age remains were found in the nearby tell.[6]

Zif existed as a village in the Roman era.[7] It had a Jewish population until at least the 4th century, but it became Christian during the Byzantine period.[8]

The remains of a Byzantine-era Christian communal church have been discovered at Zif.[9] Pot sherds from the Byzantine era have also been found here.[10]

In 1838 Edward Robinson was the first to identify the village Zif and its adjacent Tell Zif with the biblical town of Ziph.[11]

In 1863 Victor Guérin visited and described the ruins.[12]

In 1874 surveyors from the PEF Survey of Palestine visited, and noted about Tell ez Zif: "A large mound, partly natural; on the north side a quarry; on the south are tombs. One of these has a single chamber, with a broad bench running round; on the back wall are three kokim with arched roofs, the arches pointed on the left side wall; at the back is another similar koka. A second tomb was a chamber, 8 feet to the back, 9 feet wide, with three recesses, one on each side, one at the back; they are merely shelves, 8 feet by 5 feet, raised some 2 feet. This tomb has a porch in front, supported by two square rock-cut piers.[13]