Sokho

Sokho, alternate transliterations Socho or Sochoh, but not with initial Sh, Biblical שוכה, Mishna סוכו, meaning unknown, perhaps related to "fence" or "hedge", is the name of two cities in Judah from Biblical times, one in the lowlands, and one in the mountain district.

The better known one is mentioned as the place where the Philistines encamped at the time of the battle of David and Goliath. It lay on the northern side of the Valley of Elah (Wady es-Sunt), south of Bet Shemesh and north of Aderet.

In a later period, the Mishnaic Rabbi Antigonus of Sokho, mentioned in Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot) came from Sokho.

Today, the tel of Sokho is known as the "Hill of the Lupins," Givat Ha-Turmusim" because of the beautiful annual growth of lupins in March.