Neh 11:28 Ziklag was one of many towns that Jews returned to in the fifth century after the Exile.  It was also the first town that David ruled, being a “Philistine sheriff”¹ keeping the shared enemies of the Philistines and Israelites at bay (1 Sam 27:6; cf. 1 Chr 12:1-8) except when his own base camp at Ziklag was destroyed (1 Sam 30).  Ziklag was initially assigned to the tribal territory of Simeon (Josh 19:5; 1 Chr 4:30) but later incorporated into the Negeb province of Judah (Josh 15:31). The most likely candidate for the location of Ziklag is Tell esh-Shari’a (Arabic) or Tel Sera’ (Hebrew), situated midway between Beer-sheba and Gaza. The mound is on the northern bank of Naḥal Gerar (Wadi esh-Shari˓a), and here six seasons of excavations were conducted (1972–1982) by E. D. Oren. [Footnote: See E. D. Oren, “Ziklag—A Biblical City on the Edge of the Negev.” Biblical Archaeologist 45 (1982): 155–166.]  A visit today to the mound finds a few roaming handicapped camels cared for by a local Israeli and a quiet place to relive David’s first escapades and the return of Jews in Nehemiah’s day.