zif (ziph; Ozeib, or Ziph):

(1) A town in the hill country of Judah, mentioned along with Maon, Carmel and Jutah (Joshua 15:55). It is chiefly celebrated in connection with the earlier history of David: "David.... remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph" (1 Samuel 23:14, 15, 24; 1 Samuel 26:2); the Ziphites (1 Samuel 23:19; 1 Samuel 26:1; compare Psalm 54 title) sought to betray him to Saul, but David escaped. Ziph was fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:8). The name also occurs in 1 Chronicles 2:42; 1 Chronicles 4:16. In connection with this last (compare 4:23) it is noticeable that Ziph is one of the four names occurring on the Hebrew stamped jar handles with the added la-melekh, "to the king."

The site is Tell Zif, 4 miles Southeast of Hebron, conspicuous hill 2,882 ft. above sea-level; there are cisterns and, to the East, some ruins (PEF, III, 312, 315).

(2) A town in the Negeb of Judah (Joshua 15:24), site unknown.

E. W. G. Masterman