Adullam
Summary
An ancient Canaanite city in Judah's lowland that became famous as the site of the cave where David took refuge while fleeing from Saul.
☩Ancient History
Adullam was one of the royal cities of Canaan whose king was defeated by Joshua during the conquest. The city existed in the time of the patriarchs; Judah went there and befriended a man named Hirah the Adullamite. It was allotted to the tribe of Judah in the lowland (Shephelah) region, listed with other cities like Jarmuth and Socoh.
☩David's Refuge
The cave of Adullam became David's refuge when he fled from Saul after escaping from the Philistine city of Gath. There he gathered around him about four hundred men—those in distress, in debt, or discontented—and became their captain. From this stronghold David conducted his campaigns while evading Saul. The prophet Gad and the priest Abiathar joined him there, making the cave a center not only of military resistance but of legitimate worship and prophetic guidance. Three of David's mighty men later broke through Philistine lines to bring him water from Bethlehem's well while he was at the cave.
☩Later History
Rehoboam fortified Adullam as part of his defensive network protecting Judah's western border. The prophet Micah mentioned it as "the glory of Israel" when prophesying judgment against Judah's cities. After the exile, Jews resettled in Adullam and its surrounding villages.
☩Location
The city of Adullam is commonly identified with the ruins at `Aid-el-Ma, about thirteen miles west-southwest of Bethlehem in the limestone cliffs of the Shephelah. The cave region nearby, with its extensive natural caverns, provided ideal hiding places. Some traditions place the cave in the wady Khureitun southeast of Bethlehem, where an immense labyrinthine cavern exists with pure air and numerous passages.
Related Verses10 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Adullam," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. I (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Adullam," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. I (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.George Morrish, "Adullam," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).