esh'-ta-ol ('eshta'ol; Astaol): A town in the Shephelah of Judah named next to Zorah (Jos 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 (Jg 13:25), and where he was buried (Jg 16:31). A contingent from Eshtaol formed part of the 600 Danites who captured Laish (Jg 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.