zik'-lag (tsiqelagh, tsiqelagh (
2Sa 1:1), tsiqelagh (
1Ch 12:1,
20); usually in the Septuagint Sekelak, or Sikelag): A town assigned (
Jos 19:5;
1Ch 4:30) to Simeon, but in
Jos 15:31 named, between Hornah and Madmannah, as one of the cities of the Negeb of Judah, "toward the border of Edom." It is said (
1Sa 27:6) to have remained a royal city. In
Ne 11:28 it is in the list of towns reinhabited by the returning children of Judah. Its chief associations are with David. Achish the Philistine king of Gath gave it to David as a residence (
1Sa 27:6 f;
1Ch 12:1,
20); it was raided by the Amalekites, on whom David took vengeance and so recovered his property (
1Sa 30:14,
26); here the messenger who came to announce Saul's death was slain (
2Sa 1:1;
4:10).