Azekah was an important fortress that guarded the entrance to the Elah Valley. David killed Goliath in the valley between Azekah and Socoh. Azekah is an excellent example of an archaeological “tel.” The original settlers chose this location for a city, building on a natural hill. It was also at a key intersection and had a good water supply. Over the centuries, the hill grew taller as the town was enlarged, remodeled, destroyed by war or earthquake, and rebuilt yet again. Today archaeologists dig down to find the past. The deeper they go, the older the ruins. In the drone survey, you’ll see squares of archaeological digs. Archaeologists don’t need to uncover the entire tel in order to discover what’s there. They also intentionally leave much of the tel for future generations and their improved technology. Azekah was inhabited before Joshua’s arrival (Joshua 10:10-15) and remained an important city until the arrival of the Roman empire in the Middle East.