A port city on the gulf of Aqabah. Ezion-Geber was the last stopping place before Kadesh during the wilderness wandering (Numbers 33:35-36 ). Under Solomon the city became a major port. Solomon commissioned the building of a fleet of ships there for use in the gold trade (1Kings 9:26,1 Kings 9:28 ). Other goods transported through the port included silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks (1 Kings 10:22 ). After Solomon's death the city reverted to Edomite control. Jehoshopat tried to take advantage of the absence of an Edomite king to base a new fleet in the city (1 Kings 22:48-49 ). The fleet was, however, wrecked (whether by flood, tempest, or the Edomites is unknown).

Three sites have been identified with Ezion-Geber. Some identify the city with Elath. References mentioning both names point to two places (Deuteronomy 2:8 ; 1 Kings 9:26 ; 2 Chronicles 8:17 ). Others locate Ezion-Geber at Tell el-Kheleifeh, a site about 500 yards from the coast. This site may represent a satellite city used to store grain, to protect the trade route, or to serve as a stopping place for caravans. Frequent flooding of the Wadi Ytem may have washed away archeological evidence necessary for identification of Ezion-Geber. Still others connect Ezion-Geber with a site on the island of Jezira Fara'un about 300 yards from the shore at Eilat. This site seems an unlikely stopping place during the wilderness wandering.

The giant's backbone (so called from the head of a mountain which runs out into the sea), an ancient city and harbour at the north-east end of the Elanitic branch of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Akabah, near Elath or Eloth (Numbers 33:35 ; Deuteronomy 2:8 ). Here Solomon built ships, "Tarshish ships," like those trading from Tyre to Tarshish and the west, which traded with Ophir (1 Kings 9:26 ; 2 Chronicles 8:17 ); and here also Jehoshaphat's fleet was shipwrecked (1 Kings 22:48 ; 2 Chronicles 20:36 ). It became a populous town, many of the Jews settling in it (2 Kings 16:6 , "Elath"). It is supposed that anciently the north end of the gulf flowed further into the country than now, as far as 'Ain el-Ghudyan, which Isaiah 10 miles up the dry bed of the Arabah, and that Ezion-geber may have been there.

A port city on the gulf of Aqabah. Ezion-Geber was the last stopping place before Kadesh during the wilderness wandering (Numbers 33:35-36 ). Under Solomon the city became a major port. Solomon commissioned the building of a fleet of ships there for use in the gold trade (1Kings 9:26,1 Kings 9:28 ). Other goods transported through the port included silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks (1 Kings 10:22 ). After Solomon's death the city reverted to Edomite control. Jehoshopat tried to take advantage of the absence of an Edomite king to base a new fleet in the city (1 Kings 22:48-49 ). The fleet was, however, wrecked (whether by flood, tempest, or the Edomites is unknown). Three sites have been identified with Ezion-Geber. Some identify the city with Elath. References mentioning both names point to two places (Deuteronomy 2:8 ; 1 Kings 9:26 ; 2 Chronicles 8:17 ). Others locate Ezion-Geber at Tell el-Kheleifeh, a site about 500 yards from the coast. This site may represent a satellite city used to store grain, to protect the trade route, or to serve as a stopping place for caravans. Frequent flooding of the Wadi Ytem may have washed away archeological evidence necessary for identification of Ezion-Geber. Still others connect Ezion-Geber with a site on the island of Jezira Fara'un about 300 yards from the shore at Eilat. This site seems an unlikely stopping place during the wilderness wandering.

("the giant's backbone".) A town on the eastern arm of the Red Sea. The last stage in Israel's march before the wilderness of Zin or Kadesh. The station of Solomon's navy "beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom." The timber was probably brought to Ezion Geber from Tyre to build the ships (2 Chronicles 8:17-18). There Jehoshaphat's fleet was broken on the jagged rocks on each side (1 Kings 9:26; 1 Kings 22:48). Now wady Ghadyan (another form of Ezion), a valley running E. into the Arabah, some miles N. of the present head of the Elanitic gulf. A salt marsh marks where the sea anciently reached. A tidal haven was here, at the head of which the city of Ezion Geber stood. On the haven's eastern side lay Elath (now Akaba), from whence the Elanitic gulf took its name, meaning "trees"; a palm grove is still there; on the W. lay Ebronah (Numbers 33:35-36).

EZION-GEBER , later called Berenice (Jos. [Note: Josephus.] Ant . VIII. vi. 4). A port on the Red Sea (on the Gulf of Akabah) used by Solomon for his commerce ( 1 Kings 9:26 ). Here also the Israelites encamped ( Numbers 33:35 , Deuteronomy 2:8 ).

A. J. Maclean.

The wood of the man

Ezion-geber (along with its twin town Elath, or Eloth) was situated on the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqabah, the north-eastern arm of the Red Sea. It was the port from which shipping routes went east and overland routes went north (Deuteronomy 2:8; 1 Kings 9:26). This meant that the nation that controlled Ezion-geber controlled much of the trade in the region (1 Kings 9:27-28; 1 Kings 10:22). (For fuller details of Ezion-geber’s significance see EDOM.)