BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY
How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.
HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H5725
a.dul.lam — Adullam
Adullam = "justice of the people" a town of the Canaanites allotted to Judah and lying in the lowlands; site of the cave where David hid Also named: a.dul.la.mi (עֲדֻלָּמִי "Adullamite" H5726)
8 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H5726
a.dul.la.mi — Adullamite
Someone from Adullam Group of a.dul.lam (עֲדֻלָּם "Adullam" H5725) § Adullamite, of Adullam "justice of the people" an inhabitant of Adullam
3 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2437
chi.rah — Hirah
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.38.1 § Hirah = "a noble family" an Adullamite, the friend of Judah
2 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →One of the royal cities of the Canaanites, now ‘Aid-el-ma (Josh. 12:15; 15:35). It stood on the old Roman road in the valley of Elah (q.v.), which was the scene of David’s memorable victory over Goliath (1 Sam. 17:2), and not far from Gath. It was one of the towns which Rehoboam fortified against Egypt (2 Chr. 11:7). It was called “the glory of Israel” (Micah 1:15). The Cave of Adullam has been discovered about 2 miles south of the scene of David’s triumph, and about 13 miles west from Bethlehem. At this place is a hill some 500 feet high pierced with numerous caverns, in one of which David gathered together “every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented” (1 Sam. 22:2). Some of these caverns are large enough to hold 200 or 300 men. According to tradition this cave was at Wady Khureitun, between Bethlehem and the Dead Sea, but this view cannot be well maintained.
Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.
