SOCO
“thorn”, “thorny hedge”.
(a) City of Shephelah (low country) of Judah (Josh. 15:35). Soco was on the rugged edge of the valley of Elah; Isolated from the rest of the ridge, it was easily defended.
The Philistines planted their camp between Soco and Azekah, just before Goliath presented himself as their champion (1 Sam. 17:1). Rehoboam rebuilt Soco, strengthening its defenses (2 Chron. 11:7).
In the time of Ahaz, the Philistines took possession of the city and the towns that depended on it (2 Chron. 28:18). Robinson has identified Soco with Khirbet Shuweikeh, 21 km west-southwest of Bethlehem.
(b) City in the rugged territory of Judah (Josh. 15:48). It has been identified with another place also called Khirbet Shuweikeh, 16 km south-southwest of Hebron. An unresolved problem is which of these two is the one that appears in 1 Kings 4:10 and 1 Chron. 4:18.