En-gedi

Biblical References

• Joshua 15:62: En-gedi is listed among the wilderness cities in the territory allotted to the tribe of Judah, one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
• 1 Samuel 23:29–24:22: While fleeing from Saul, David stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi. Saul came with three thousand soldiers to the "rocks of the wild goats" and went into a cave to relieve himself. David and his men happened to be hiding in the recesses of that very cave. David secretly cut off only the skirt of Saul's robe and did him no harm. He declared that he could not stretch forth his hand against Saul, "seeing he is the anointed of the LORD" (24:6). Saul acknowledged that David was more righteous than he and departed.
• 2 Chronicles 20:2: When the combined forces of Moab and Ammon came up to attack Jehoshaphat, a report stated that they were "in Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi." Hazazon-tamar also appears in Genesis 14:7 as a place inhabited by the Amorites.
• Song of Solomon 1:14: The bride likens her beloved to "a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of En-gedi." Camphire is commonly identified as the henna flower.
• Ezekiel 47:10: In the vision of a river that flows from the temple and brings the Dead Sea back to life, the stretch from En-gedi to En-eglaim is to become a place where fishers spread their nets.

Background

The Hebrew en means "spring," and gedi means "young goat"; the name is therefore commonly interpreted as "spring of the young goat." En-gedi lies between the salty Dead Sea and the arid Judean wilderness, and its springs sustain an oasis where vegetation flourishes. It is widely identified with the present-day En Gedi area in Israel. Remains from various periods have been excavated in the vicinity, including the site of a Byzantine-period synagogue. The terrain, with its many rocky cliffs and caves and its population of wild goats (ibex), fits well with the expression "rocks of the wild goats" in 1 Samuel.

Significance in Scripture as a Whole

The En-gedi episode in 1 Samuel 24 portrays David refusing to seize the throne for himself and instead waiting for God's timing. It is read as a story of refraining from revenge when the opportunity presented itself, and it is frequently discussed alongside the New Testament teaching on love for one's enemies (Romans 12:17–21).

In Ezekiel 47, En-gedi serves as a sign of the lifeless sea being revived by the water of life. Many interpreters see this vision of the river as anticipating the river of the water of life and the tree of life in Revelation 22. It is also linked with John 7:38, which speaks of rivers of living water.

Interpretation and Debate

• Relationship to the psalm superscriptions: The superscriptions of Psalms 57 and 142 place them at the time when David fled from Saul and "was in the cave." Some identify this cave with the cave at En-gedi, while others identify it with the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1). The text does not specify which cave is meant.
• Application of "the LORD's anointed": In the Korean church, some sermons have cited 24:6 to teach that church leaders such as pastors must not be criticized. Critics respond that the passage is a narrative concerning the status of Israel's king and David's personal conduct. Others have repeatedly objected that the passage cannot be applied directly to church offices today.
• Interpretation of the Song of Solomon: One traditional reading takes Song of Solomon 1:14 as an allegory of the relationship between Christ and the church. Another reads it straightforwardly as a poem celebrating love between a man and a woman.

In the Korean Church

En-gedi is discussed mainly in sermons on 1 Samuel 24, a passage frequently used to emphasize David's patience, his refusal to retaliate, and his entrusting of judgment to God. It is also a familiar stop on Holy Land pilgrimages, often visited together with the Dead Sea region.