{
  "id": "dict_002325",
  "term": "Hachilah",
  "slug": "hachilah",
  "letter": "H",
  "entry_type": "biblical_place_name",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "A hill in the wilderness of Ziph near Jeshimon, remembered as a place where David was pursued by Saul and spared him.",
  "simple_one_line": "Hachilah is a hill in the wilderness of Ziph connected with Saul’s pursuit of David.",
  "tooltip_text": "A hill near Jeshimon in the wilderness of Ziph, associated with David’s restraint toward Saul.",
  "aliases": [],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "David",
    "Saul",
    "Ziph",
    "Jeshimon",
    "Wilderness of Ziph",
    "1 Samuel"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "En Gedi",
    "Wilderness",
    "David’s restraint",
    "Lord’s anointed"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "Hachilah is a biblical place-name for a hill in the wilderness of Ziph, near Jeshimon. It appears in the narratives of Saul’s pursuit of David, where the location serves as the setting for David’s opportunity to kill Saul but refusing to do so.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "Hachilah is a hill or ridge in southern Judah, near the wilderness of Ziph and Jeshimon.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "Geographic setting in David’s wilderness years",
    "Associated with Saul’s search for David",
    "Highlights David’s restraint and trust in the Lord",
    "A place-name, not a doctrine or theological concept"
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "Hachilah is a hill or ridge in the wilderness of Ziph, near Jeshimon, mentioned in connection with Saul’s pursuit of David. Its significance is primarily historical and narrative, marking one of the settings where David spared Saul’s life.",
  "description_academic_full": "Hachilah is a geographic location in the wilderness of Ziph, near Jeshimon, mentioned in 1 Samuel as a setting in Saul’s pursuit of David. The hill is part of the story in which David twice had opportunity to harm Saul but instead left vengeance to the Lord. Hachilah’s importance lies not in theological abstraction but in its narrative role: it helps locate the events that display David’s restraint, respect for the Lord’s anointed, and confidence in divine justice. As a biblical place-name, it should be classified under geography rather than doctrinal terminology.",
  "background_biblical_context": "In 1 Samuel 23 and 26, Hachilah is tied to David’s time of flight from Saul. The location marks a key moment in the narrative: David is hidden near Saul’s camp, yet refuses to seize power unlawfully. The place therefore contributes to the story’s moral and theological texture, even though the name itself is geographic.",
  "background_historical_context": "Hachilah belonged to the Judean hill country associated with Ziph and Jeshimon, regions used in the Samuel narratives to identify David’s movements during Saul’s reign. The site is significant as part of the historical memory of David’s wilderness period, though its exact modern identification is uncertain.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "In the ancient Israelite setting, named hills and wilderness regions often functioned as markers of real historical movement and conflict. Hachilah is one such marker, helping situate the pursuit of David within the broader landscape of southern Judah.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "1 Samuel 23:19, 24-28",
    "1 Samuel 26:1-3"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "1 Samuel 23:14-15",
    "1 Samuel 26:4-12"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "The Hebrew form refers to a geographic place-name, likely a hill or ridge. The name itself does not carry a doctrinal meaning in the biblical text.",
  "theological_significance": "Hachilah is the setting for a major theme in David’s life: waiting on the Lord rather than taking vengeance or seizing the kingdom by unlawful means. The place matters because it frames an act of trust, patience, and reverence for God’s timing.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "As a location, Hachilah shows how concrete places in Scripture serve moral and theological purposes. Geography is not incidental in biblical narrative; it anchors real events through which character and providence are displayed.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "Do not treat Hachilah as a doctrine, symbol, or hidden allegory. Its main meaning is historical and narrative. The exact modern location cannot be fixed with certainty, so claims beyond the biblical description should remain cautious.",
  "major_views_note": "There is little interpretive debate about the basic identity of Hachilah as a hill near Ziph and Jeshimon. Discussion mainly concerns its precise modern location, not its biblical function.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "Hachilah should not be used to build doctrine. Its value is as a real setting in the history of David and Saul, illustrating providence, restraint, and respect for God’s rule.",
  "practical_significance": "Hachilah reminds readers that faithfulness often takes place in ordinary settings. David’s conduct there encourages patience, refusal to retaliate, and trust that God will vindicate in His time.",
  "meta_description": "Hachilah is a hill in the wilderness of Ziph near Jeshimon, mentioned in 1 Samuel as a setting for David’s restraint toward Saul.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/hachilah/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/hachilah.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}