ESHTAOL

esh'-ta-ol ('eshta'ol; Astaol): A town in the Shephelah of Judah named next to Zorah (Joshua 15:33; 19:41). Between these two cities lay Mahaneh-dan (the camp of Dan) where the Spirit of the Lord began to move Samson (Judges 13:25), and where he was buried (Judges 16:31). A contingent from Eshtaol formed part of the 600 Danites who captured Laish (Judges 18:2,11). It is probably represented by the modern Ashu`a, about a mile and a half East of Zorah, the modern Car`ah.

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Edited by James Orr, published in 1939 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.