Giloh
Gi'loh (Heb. Giloh', גַּלֹה, exile [Gesenius] or circle [Furst]; Sept. in Joshua Γιλώ v. r. Γηλώμ and Γηλών, in Sam. Γελώ v.r. Γωλά), the last named (after Goshen and Holon) in the first group of eleven cities in the south-western part (Keil, Joshua page 384) of the hill-country of the tribe of Judah (Jos 15:51); and afterwards the native place or residence of Ahithophel (hence called "the Gilonite" [q.v.], 2Sa 15:12; 2Sa 23:34), whence Absalom, on his way from Jerusalem to Hebron, summoned him (perhaps from a temporary banishment or disgrace at court) to join his rebellious standard (2Sa 15:12), and whither he returned to commit suicide on the failure of his colleagues to adopt his crafty counsel (2Sa 17:23). Josephus calls it Gelmon (Γελμών, Ant. 7:9, 8). De Saulcy (Dead Sea, 1:453) and Schwarz (Palest. page 105) both make it to be the modern Beit-Jala, near Bethlehem; but this is rather the ancient Zelah or Zelzah (q.v.), and the scriptural notices require a different position, perhaps at Rafat, a village with extensive ruins one hour twenty minutes south of Hebron (Van de Velde, Memoir, page 252).
