Place Old Testament
Shaaraim
Also known as Shaaraim =ESV, NIV, KJV; Sharaim =KJV
Shaaraim was a town in the Shephelah of Judah (Josh. 15:36) and a place the Philistines passed in their retreat from Socoh (1Sam. 17:52). Mentioned in 2 verses across 2 books, first at Joshua 15:36.
Why it matters. Town in Judah; site of Philistine retreat
- Primary passages
- Location
- 31.700, 34.895 (approximate, within about 2 km)
Coordinates from STEPBible TIPNR (palopenmaps.org link). Approximate; not independently verified.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Shaaraim
Shaaraim, meaning "two gates," was a town located in the Shephelah (lowland hills) of Judah, mentioned in close association with Socoh and Azekah (Josh. 15:36). The town is also referenced in the account of David's victory over Goliath and the Philistines (1Sam. 17). After the Philistines were defeated at Socoh, they retreated down the valley of Elah (modern Wadi es-Sant) toward Gath and Ekron, passing by Shaaraim (1Sam. 17:52). Some scholars suggest that the "two gates" mentioned in this passage may refer to the Philistine strongholds of Gath and Ekron themselves, rather than a specific town. The exact location of Shaaraim is uncertain, but it has been tentatively identified with Tell Zakariya or Khirbet Sa'ireh, both located in the Shephelah region. However, these identifications remain speculative due to limited archaeological evidence.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
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Appears in Scripture
Named in 2 verses across 2 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.