Keilah was a city in the lowlands of the ancient Kingdom of Judah. Today, its ruins are known as Khirbet Qeyla, located near the modern village of Qila in the Hebron region. Situated approximately 11 kilometers (7 miles) east of Bayt Jibrin and about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) west of Kharas, Keilah played a significant role in biblical history and archaeology. Its long history stretches from the Late Bronze Age to the Second Temple period and beyond.

Historical Significance

Late Bronze Age

The earliest mention of Keilah appears in the Amarna letters from the 14th century BCE. These letters were a series of diplomatic correspondences between Egyptian officials and Canaanite rulers. The city was referred to as Qeilah, and its king at the time, Shuwardatha, is mentioned in these records. The Amarna letters indicate that Keilah was an important city in the Canaanite region before the Israelite conquest. Its proximity to Egypt meant it had considerable influence in trade and politics, serving as a fortified stronghold and a center of local governance.

Iron Age and Biblical Accounts

Keilah is prominently mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, particularly in the First Book of Samuel. During this period, the city was threatened by the Philistines, who had extended their reach eastward, plundering its granaries and taking control of the region. David, the future king of Israel, led an armed force to defend Keilah from the Philistines, successfully defeating them and saving the city (1 Samuel 23:1-5). However, despite his heroism, David learned that the inhabitants of Keilah were willing to betray him to King Saul, who was pursuing him. Consequently, David and his men fled to the wilderness of Ziph (1 Samuel 23:15), where he met his close friend Jonathan for the last time.

Keilah is also listed among the cities of the Shephelah, or lowland region, in the Book of Joshua (15:44). The Shephelah was a critical buffer zone between the coastal Philistine cities and the central highlands of Judah. Throughout biblical history, Keilah served as a frontier town, often caught between rival powers vying for control of the region.

Identifications by Historians and Archaeologists

During the medieval period, the Jewish traveler Benjamin of Tudela (1160 CE) identified Qaqun as the ancient site of Keilah. However, in the 19th century, British archaeologists Claude Reignier Conder and Horatio Kitchener, as part of the Survey of Western Palestine, identified Keilah with Khirbet Qeyla, located seven miles from Bayt Jibrin. This identification aligns with earlier descriptions from the 4th-century historian Eusebius in his work Onomasticon, where he places Keilah nearly eight milestones east of Eleutheropolis (modern-day Bayt Jibrin) on the road to Hebron.

The 19th-century French archaeologist Victor Guérin also confirmed this identification. He visited Palestine between 1852 and 1888 and described the ruins of Khirbet Kila, noting its proximity to Adullam (Khurbet esh Sheikh Madhkur) and Kharas. His findings were later adopted by the Israel Antiquities Authority, solidifying Khirbet Qeyla as the most likely location of ancient Keilah.

The identification of its ruins at Khirbet Qeyla provides valuable evidence of its continuous occupation and strategic importance in ancient Israel.

Keilah During the Second Temple Period

During the Second Temple period, Keilah was among the cities resettled by Jewish exiles returning from Babylonian captivity. The Book of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:17-18) records that these returnees contributed to the reconstruction of Jerusalem’s walls, indicating that the descendants of Keilah’s original inhabitants had reclaimed their ancestral homeland.

A notable feature of Keilah during this period was its production of fig cakes, known in Hebrew as dəḇilā (דְּבֵילָה). These dried fig cakes were known for their exceptional quality and sweetness, making them among the few agricultural products permitted as first-fruit offerings in the Jerusalem Temple. Typically, first-fruit offerings consisted of fresh produce from nearby regions, but dried fruits, such as figs from Keilah, were allowed when brought from more distant locations. This detail is recorded in the Jerusalem Talmud (Tractate Bikkurim 3:3) and noted in the commentary of Rabbi Solomon Sirilio.

The Ruins of Keilah

Khirbet Qeyla (the ruins of Keilah) is located on a terraced, dome-shaped hill at the end of a spur that descends to the east. The site is adjacent to a small modern Arab village that bears the same name. The terrain surrounding Keilah includes natural channels that flow into the Wadi es-Sur, an extension of the Elah Valley, providing the site with strategic natural fortifications.

Covering approximately 50 dunams (12.3 acres), the site contains the remains of ancient walls, with the northern ascent leading to the city’s gate. This entrance is designed as a ramp with a retaining wall, indicative of advanced urban planning. At the base of the tell, burial caves carved into the rock suggest an extensive and continuous habitation spanning several periods. Pottery fragments discovered at the site date from the Bronze Age through the Crusader and Mamluk periods, confirming its long-standing significance.

Road Networks and Trade Routes

Keilah was well connected to other prominent locations in ancient Judah. The remnants of an old road linking Keilah to the Elah Valley via Adullam are still visible today. This route would have been crucial for trade and military movements, allowing goods and people to travel between the coastal plains and the Judean highlands. Another ancient road extended from Keilah to Tarqumiyah, while a secondary road branched off towards Kefar Bish, a Jewish village during the Roman occupation. The strategic position of Keilah within these road networks further highlights its historical importance.

Keilah remains an essential historical and archaeological site, representing centuries of settlement, conflict, and cultural development.

Keilah in the Modern Era

During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the Bedouin inhabitants of Keilah were displaced from their original settlements around Beersheba.

Today, the ruins of Keilah stand as a testament to its rich and complex history, reflecting the various civilizations that once inhabited the region.

Archaeological excavations continue to provide insight into the city’s role in biblical narratives and its significance in the broader context of Canaanite and Israelite history.

Ancient Israel and Judah

Questions and Answers

What is the earliest historical reference to Keilah?

Keilah is mentioned in the 14th-century BCE Amarna letters, where its king, Shuwardatha, corresponded with Egyptian officials, highlighting its importance in Canaan.

What role did Keilah play in biblical history?

According to the Book of Samuel, David saved Keilah from the Philistines but later fled after learning the townspeople would betray him to King Saul.

How was Keilah identified by historians and archaeologists?

Medieval traveler Benjamin of Tudela initially misidentified it, but 19th-century archaeologists Conder, Kitchener, and Guérin correctly linked it to Khirbet Qeyla, a view supported by the Israel Antiquities Authority.

What was Keilah’s significance during the Second Temple period?

Keilah was resettled by Jewish exiles returning from Babylonian captivity, and it became known for producing high-quality dried fig cakes used as first-fruit offerings in the Jerusalem Temple.

What archaeological remains have been found at Keilah?

The site contains remnants of city walls, a gate ramp, burial caves, and pottery fragments spanning from the Bronze Age to the Mamluk period, indicating continuous habitation.

How was Keilah connected to other ancient sites?

Keilah was part of an ancient road network linking it to the Elah Valley, Adullam, Tarqumiyah, and Kefar Bish, facilitating trade and travel in Judah.

What happened to Keilah’s inhabitants in modern times?

During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Bedouin residents from the region, including Keilah, were displaced, and the site remains an archaeological ruin today.