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David escaped to the Cave of Adullam
One of the important places on our “bucket list” was the Cave of Adullam. The main reason we had never visited Adullam before is that it requires a long, difficult, walk or a four-wheel-drive vehicle. We made arrangements withHaelah Desert Tours, a company at Aderet, a moshav on the north side of Adullam, for a guide/driver who could take us there. Once we reached the forested mound we enjoyed a wonderful view to the north, east, and south. Our guide, Daphna, inquired first about our interest in the site. How did we even know about the site, she wondered. She is a Sabre, a native-born Israeli, who lives at Aderet.
The view below is to the east where you will see the border between Israel and the West Bank. The central mountain range is visible in the distance.
Daphna, our guide, and Leon look east from Tel Adullam. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.
There is a large cave at Adullam. Is it the cave where David stayed while fleeing from Saul. Can’t say, but if it was not this one it had to be another one near by. The next photo was made from inside the cave.
View north from interior of the Cave of Adullam. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.
Adullam is significant in several biblical accounts. Here are a few.
Judah married the daughter of Hira the Adullamite.
At that time Judah left his brothers and stayed with an Adullamite man named Hirah. There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. Judah acquired her as a wife and had marital relations with her. (Genesis 38:1-2 NET)
The episode of Onan and his failure to fulfill his responsibility to bring up children to his deceased brother (the Levirate marriage; Genesis 38:3-10).
Joshua defeated the king of Adullam during the Conquest (Joshua 12:15), and became one of the Shephelah (lowland) cities of the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:35).
The cave of Adullam is associated with David. When he left Gath he went to Adullam before sending his parents to Moab for safety.
So David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s family learned about it, they went down there to him. (1 Samuel 22:1 NET)
In fact, David spent much time at Adullam. I suggest you read the entire account in 2 Samuel 23:13ff.
When the prophet Micah warned Judah about the coming Assyrian invasion he said,
…the leaders of Israel shall flee to Adullam (Micah 1:15 NET)
Just like David did about three centuries earlier.
One more point. Jesus was a descendant of David and Judah, both of whom had an association with Adullam (Revelation 5:5).
What a wonderful experience.
My thanks to Gordon Franz and Carl Rasmussen with whom I have corresponded about Adullam.
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