Bible Strands
1 Chronicles 11:15
Three of the thirty chief men went down to David, to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The chronicler records David’s loyal commanders descending to him at the rock of the cave of Adullam while Philistine forces occupy the Valley of Rephaim. This event occurs immediately after a divinely granted military victory and precedes the notice that David is currently stationed in a stronghold.
The words — The Hebrew וַיֵּרְדוּ (va.ye.re.Du) literally means “and they went down,” describing the commanders’ movement toward David’s elevated position. The term הַצּוּר (ha.Tzur) translates to “the rock,” identifying the specific fortified location where the king resided.
The thread — The Valley of Rephaim reappears as a Philistine encampment in 2 Samuel 5:18 and 1 Chronicles 14:9. Isaiah 17:5 later employs the valley as a metaphor for a harvested field.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that proximity to leadership requires navigating occupied territory. It places the reader in a moment of strategic vulnerability where loyalty operates under active military threat.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
Cross-references
- 2 Samuel 5:18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.
- 1 Chronicles 14:9 Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim.
- Isaiah 17:5 as the reaper gathers the standing grain and harvests the ears with his arm, as one gleans heads of grain in the Valley of Rephaim.
- Joshua 12:15 the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
- Joshua 15:8 From there the border went up the Valley of Ben-hinnom along the southern slope of the Jebusites (that is, Jerusalem) and ascended to the top of the hill that faces the Valley of Hinnom on the west, at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim.
- 1 Samuel 22:1 So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there.
- 2 Samuel 5:22 Once again the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.
- 2 Samuel 23:13 At harvest time, three of the thirty chief men went down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
- Micah 1:15 I will again bring a conqueror against you, O dweller of Mareshah. The glory of Israel will come to Adullam.