The land and the Book; or, Biblical illustrations drawn from the manners and customs, the scenes and scenery of the Holy Land . some curious old buildingswhich overhang the tremendous gorge of Wady Urtas, therecalled Khureitun, which is also the name of the ruins. Leav-ing our horses in charge of wild Arabs, and taking one fora guide, we started for the cave, having a fearful gorge be-low, gigantic cliffs above, and the path winding along ashelf of the rock, narrow enough to make the nervous amongus shudder. At length, from a great rock hanging on theedge of this shelf, we sprang by a long lea
The land and the Book; or, Biblical illustrations drawn from the manners and customs, the scenes and scenery of the Holy Land . some curious old buildingswhich overhang the tremendous gorge of Wady Urtas, therecalled Khureitun, which is also the name of the ruins. Leav-ing our horses in charge of wild Arabs, and taking one fora guide, we started for the cave, having a fearful gorge be-low, gigantic cliffs above, and the path winding along ashelf of the rock, narrow enough to make the nervous amongus shudder. At length, from a great rock hanging on theedge of this shelf, we sprang by a long leap into a Icrw win-dow which opened into the perpendicular face of the were then within the hold of David,^ and. creepinghalf doubled through a narrow crevice for a few rods, westood beneath the dark vault of the first grand chamber ofthis mysterious and oppressive cavern. Our whole collec-tion of lights did little more than make the damp darknessvisible. After groping about as long as we had time tospare, we returned to the light of day, fulh convinced that, 2 Sam. xiv. • 1 Sam. xxii. 4, 5. 4 ^«|*il,lg;; ,!{(,. 1 ^ m CAVE OF ADULLAM—HERODIUM. 427 with David and his lion-hearted followers inside, all thestrength of Israel under Saul could not have forced an en-trance—would not have even attempted it. I see no reason to disturb the tradition which makes thisthe hold into which David retired with his fathers houseand his faithful followers when he fled from Gath. David,as a shepherd leading his flocks over these hills, was doubt-less acquainted from his boyhood with all the intricacies ofthis fearful cavern, just as these Arab shepherds, his suc-cessors, now are, and what more natural, therefore, than thathe should flee thither in the day of his extremity ? It wasout in the wild desert, far from the haunts of Saul, and notlikely to be visited by him. It was also in the direction ofMoab, whither he sent his parents and the women of histrain, while he abode still in
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbible, bookyear1874
