SOREK sôr’ ĕk (שֹׂרֵ֑ק, choice vine). The valley where Delilah, the lover of Samson, lived (Judg 16:4). This valley was one of three parallel narrow E-W valleys that crossed the Shephelah (rocky plateau stretching from Ajalon to Gaza). Eshtaol and Zorah were on the N of the valley, and Timnah, where Samson sought a wife (Judg 14:1), is located farther SW, near the mouth of the valley. It is known today as Wadi es-Sarar beginning about thirteen m. SW of Jerusalem and running in a NW direction for about twenty m. toward the Mediterranean. Since Beth-shemesh was set apart in the days of Joshua as a Levitical city (Josh 21:16), proximity to the SE mouth of the valley demanded that it be heavily fortified against Philistine harassments. Samson’s betrayal by Delilah would no doubt have threatened this important Israelite stronghold.