Lachish was a *Canaanite and later *Israelite city, destroyed by *Assyria in 701 BCE. The site of Lachish (Tell ed- Duweir) is strategically located in the lowlands (shephelah) at the juncture of the Judean hills, some 15 miles (24 km) west of *Hebron. It was a vital city in both the Bronze and Iron Ages. According to the *Bible, *Joshua and his troops completely destroyed Canaanite Lachish (Josh 10:31– 32), after which the city was incorporated into the territory of *Judah (Josh 15:39). Later fortified by *Rehoboam, (2 Chron 11:5–12), Lachish was second in importance only to *Jerusalem.

The Assyrian destruction of Lachish is well documented through the excavation of the site. In addition, it is noted in the Bible (2 Kgs 18:13–14, 17; 19:8; cf. Isa 36:1–2, 37:8), represented in reliefs on the walls of Sennacherib's palace in Nineveh, now in the British Museum in London, and implied on Sennacherib's prism. Its subsequent destruction in the early sixth century BCE by *Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar has been revealed *archeologically (see ARCHEOLOGY, LAND OF ISRAEL: ANCIENT TIMES TO PERSIAN PERIOD). In addition, letters written in ink on clay ostraca, found at Lachish, support the story of the city's destruction as described by *Jeremiah (34:6–7). The site was reoccupied during the *Persian period (Neh 11:30), at which time new construction included an administrative building and a temple.

BETH ALPERT NAKHAI

Ladino, also commonly known as Judeo-Spanish or Judezmo, is the language used by the *Sephardic Jews expelled from Spain in 1492 (see SPAIN, CHRISTIAN) who subsequently settled throughout the *Ottoman Empire in the eastern Mediterranean.