Keilah

KEILAH (Κεϊλά LXX.; Κίλλα, Joseph. Antiq. 6.13.1; Κηλά, Euseb.), a city in the tribe of Judah (Josh. 15.44), 8 M. P. from Eleutheropolis. (Euseb. Onomast. s. v. ) When the city was besieged by the Philistines, David relieved it, but the thankless inhabitants would have delivered him into the hands of Saul. (1 Sam. 23.1--13.) It assisted in the building of the walls of Jerusalem (Neh. 3.17, 18); and, according to tradition, the prophet Habakkuk was buried here. (Sozomen, H. E. 7.29; Niceph. H. E. 12.48; Reland, Palaest. p. 698; Winer, Biblisch. Realwört. s. v.; Von Raumer, Palest. p. 207.)