עֲדֻלָּם
𐤏𐤃𐤋𐤌
Adulam
H5725 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Adullam; a town located in the Shephelah region of ancient Judah, notable as a geographic site in the narratives of early Israelite monarchy. May additionally refer to the area or environs around the town, including associated landmarks (such as the caves nearby). The primary lexical function is as a proper place name; it does not indicate an ethnic, political, or religious group but rather a specific settlement and its immediate surroundings.
Semantic Range
Adullam (town in the Shephelah of Judah), environs of Adullam (including prominent cave), occasionally used to designate a broader geographic area surrounding the town
Root / Etymology
Root: ע-ד-ל (uncertain relationship). The explicit etymological connection to a Semitic root is unclear. Some suggest a relationship to עַד (ʻad, 'eternity', 'duration') or to עָדַל (ʻadal, uncertain meaning), but there is no widely accepted derivation or meaning for the place name itself. It appears as a toponym with no transparent lexical meaning in biblical Hebrew. Thus, the etymology remains uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Adullam is best known as the location of the 'Cave of Adullam,' a hideout for David during his flight from Saul (1 Samuel 22:1–2). The site is listed among the towns apportioned to the tribe of Judah in the book of Joshua (Joshua 15:35). It figures in narratives concerning the early monarchy, particularly as a place of refuge and gathering. In later periods, including prophets such as Micah (Micah 1:15), Adullam retains significance as a recognizable geographic landmark. The term does not convey a meaning beyond place designation and has no inherent connotation of ethnicity, religion, or later 'Jewish' identity. English translations sometimes retain the transliterated name; at times, historical texts retroactively associate the area with later Judean history, but this is anachronistic for biblical usage. There are no significant shifts in its meaning across Israelite history; Adullam consistently refers to the same geographic entity.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably from the passive participle of the same as עַדְלַי; Adullam, a place in Palestine; Adullam.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עדל (ʿ-d-l) — uncertain; possibly durability, perpetuity (unattested as clear lexical root)
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5724 | עַדְלַי | Adlai |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5725-01 |
עֲדֻלָּ֖ם | adulam | HNp |
Adullam | Adullam | 7 |
H5725-02 |
וַ/עֲדֻלָּ֔ם | vaadulam | HC/Np |
and Adullam | Adullam | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5725-01 |
Joshua 12:15 | עֲדֻלָּ֖ם | adulam | HNp |
Adullam | Adullam |
H5725-02 |
Joshua 15:35 | וַ/עֲדֻלָּ֔ם | vaadulam | HC/Np |
and Adullam | Adullam |
H5725-01 |
1 Samuel 22:1 | עֲדֻלָּ֑ם | adulam | HNp |
Adullam | Adullam |
H5725-01 |
2 Samuel 23:13 | עֲדֻלָּ֑ם | adulam | HNp |
Adullam | Adullam |
H5725-01 |
Micah 1:15 | עֲדֻּלָּ֥ם | adulam | HNp |
Adullam | Adullam |
H5725-01 |
Nehemiah 11:30 | עֲדֻלָּם֙ | adulam | HNp |
Adullam | Adullam |
H5725-01 |
1 Chronicles 11:15 | עֲדֻלָּ֑ם | adulam | HNp |
Adullam | Adullam |
H5725-01 |
2 Chronicles 11:7 | עֲדֻלָּֽם | adulam | HNp |
Adullam | Adullam |