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Bible Dictionaries
Adullam
Morrish Bible Dictionary
or One of the royal cities of Canaan, afterwards part of Judah's lot. Joshua 12:15; Joshua 15:35 . It was rebuilt or fortified by Rehoboam, 2 Chronicles 11:7; and was dwelt in by some who returned from exile. Nehemiah 11:30; Micah 1:15 . Identified with Aid-el-ma, a name similar to Adullam, 31 39' N, 35 0' E. More interest attaches to the CAVE OF ADULLAM than to the city, because of its having been a stronghold of David. In the locality of the place named above there are limestone cliffs, in which are extensive excavations, one of which may have been David's cave of Adullam. This is in the low country and all David's house went down from the hills of Bethlehem to him. 1 Samuel 22:1 . The traditional site is a cave in the Wady Khureitun on the east part of Judah. It is approached by a narrow footpath (now partly blocked up by a fallen rock) which could easily be defended, and the cave is very large. Both this and other caves near where the city of Adullam was located are by different travellers strongly advocated as the true site. The 'Cave of Adullam' has become a proverbial expression for a refuge in distress, because there gathered to David, besides his relatives, "every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented," or bitter of soul, and he became their captain. 1 Samuel 22:1,2; 2 Samuel 23:13; 1 Chronicles 11:15 . David was God's anointed king, and the prophet Gad went to him, and Abiathar the priest; so that with that outcast company were God's prophet, priest, and king, though all the outward forms of worship were elsewhere: typical of the Lord Jesus in His rejection. When on earth the outward forms were not with Him; and now that He is in glory His virtual rejection is still as complete even by some in Christendom.
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Morrish, George. Entry for 'Adullam'. Morrish Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/mbd/a/adullam.html. 1897.
