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1 Chronicles 11:15

Once when David was at the rock near the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. The Three (who were among the Thirty—an elite group among David’s fighting men) went down to meet him there.
1 Chronicles 11:15 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
  • KJV 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.
  • BSB 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.
  • NKJV Now three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
  • NASB Now three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam, while the army of the Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Three of the thirty went down to David at the cave of Adullam while the Philistines camped in the Valley of Rephaim. The scene sets up a famous act of devotion.

Overview

This recalls David's fugitive days, hiding in the cave of Adullam while enemy forces occupied the nearby valley. Three of his elite men descend to be with him in danger. Their willingness to share David's hardship foreshadows the loyalty Christ commends, those who follow their Lord into hardship and reproach for His sake.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 9

  • 2 Sam 5:18Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
  • 1 Chr 14:9Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the valley of Rephaim.
  • Isa 17:5It will be like when the harvester gathers the wheat, and his arm reaps the grain. Yes, it will be like when one gleans grain in the valley of Rephaim.
  • Josh 12:15the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
  • Mic 1:15I will yet bring to you, inhabitant of Mareshah. He who is the glory of Israel will come to Adullam.
  • 1 Sam 22:1David therefore departed from there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him.
  • 2 Sam 23:13–39Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
  • Josh 15:8The border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom to the side of the Jebusite (also called Jerusalem) southward; and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the farthest part of the valley of Rephaim northward.
  • 2 Sam 5:22The Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

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Christ at the center

The genealogies and the everlasting covenant with David trace the single thread of promise running through the generations straight to the Christ in whom the line reaches its goal.

How 1 Chronicles 11:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

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