What is the significance of En Gedi in the Bible?

Town in the wilderness of Judah. David resorted to the strongholds at this place when pursued by Saul. The king sought David 'upon the rocks of the wild goats,' and then lay down to rest in the mouth of the very cave in which David and his men were. David out off the skirt of Saul's robe, but would not allow his men to injure him. Joshua 15:62; 1 Sam. 23:29; 1 Sam. 24:1; 2 Chr. 20:2. The vineyards of En-gedi are spoken of in Cant. 1:14. When the Dead Sea is healed in a future day the fishermen will stand on its shores from En-gedi to En-eglaim. Ezek. 47:10. Identified with Ain Jidy, 31 28' N, 35 23' E.

Mention has been made of Engedi. In the Song of Solomon 1:14 where it says, "My beloved is unto me a cluster of henna-flowers in the vineyards of Engedi". Is that referring to a future condition or are there actually vineyards in Engedi now.

Engedi has always been a kind of oasis near the Dead Sea. Even now there are springs of water, waterfalls, coming from the mountains and it has always been like that. Thus planting and farming are possible not far from the Dead Sea.

The vineyards of En-gedi, we are told, were celebrated for their rich fruits and costly spices. That which is beautiful to the eye, sweet to the taste, and fragrant to the senses, was to be found there in abundance. And famous, too, are these scenes, as having furnished a hiding place for David and his men when persecuted by Saul. (1 Sam. 24: 1-4) The fruitful valleys below, and the strongholds in the mountains around, provided shelter, nourishment, and refreshment, for God's anointed king and those who had cast in their lot with him.

The vineyards of En-gedi, we are told, were celebrated for their rich fruits and costly spices. That which is beautiful to the eye, sweet to the taste, and fragrant to the senses, was to be found there in abundance. And famous, too, are these scenes, as having furnished a hiding place for David and his men when persecuted by Saul. (1 Sam. 24:1-4) The fruitful valleys below, and the strongholds in the mountains around, provided shelter, nourishment, and refreshment, for God's anointed king and those who had cast in their lot with him.

(3) We next find David at Engedi, once more pursued by Saul, but who now falls into the hands of the one he persecutes, only to experience, however, from him the mercy he had never shown, and to be shamed into a confession of his sin, which for the time ends the pursuit.

Engedi means "the spring of the young goat," the force of the latter word being really "leaper." The spiritual thought has been already indicated (p. 117, n.); and there should be such agreement between the name and the history before us as we have been able to trace in similar cases. Engedi reminds us of how the wilderness and the hill of difficulty become, in the wisdom of God, schools of training and begetters of strength. The tread and leap of the wild goat are the very symbols of strength gained by practice and ready surmounting of difficulties; and the name is interpreted and emphasized for us where it is said that "Saul went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats (climbers)." They were in the same circumstances with the same results. Trial and hardship were forming character, as we know, and mighty men were being produced, masters of themselves and of their circumstances, by the exigencies they were called to face from day to day.

Saul continues in the pursuit of David and with 3000 chosen men he sought David at the rocks of the wild goats. It was in En-gedi, which means "the fountain of the young goat." There were wild rocks and the fountains of water and here David had found his refuge and strongholds. God trained him also amidst the hardships and difficulties suggested by the rocks, while the fountain suggests the refreshing which was also his blessed portion. Perhaps in that trying wilderness he poured out his heart in the way as recorded in Psalm 63. It is certain that he developed constantly in his faith and trust in God. And a test is now permitted to come upon him. Saul had entered a cave. David and his men were in the sides of the cave. But a few steps between him and the unsuspecting Saul! An uplifted sword, one stroke and Saul's career would have been ended. Is he going to do it? Will he take his case out of the hands of the Lord and become his own avenger? And his men remind him of an unrecorded word, which the Lord had spoken to David (verse 4) which David might have used to justify the slaying of Saul. Faith conquers. He looks upon Saul as being still the Lord's anointed and only cut off a part of the skirt of Saul's garment. What magnanimity it was! And even for this his tender conscience smote him. A marvellous, eloquent address to King Saul was delivered by David. He tells him all what he had done and what is in his heart and thus shows the purpose of his soul to leave it all with the Lord. This is faith's language. The Man of God who walks by faith can await the Lord's own time. And thus the case was not Saul against David, but Saul fighting David's Lord. The outcome is obvious. And Saul? His reply, given in the voice of weeping, acknowledged the wrong he had done and the righteous cause of David as well as the future of David, that he would receive the Kingdom of Israel. He also made David swear not to cut off his seed. He is broken down and deeply moved. Yet his heart is unchanged.

The place was called Sela-hammalekoth, meaning "the rock of divisions." Divisions in Israel are not pleasant to contemplate, no more than they are in the Church of God, but when division was forced upon David, God could yet sustain him in maintaining a right attitude toward all Israel, just as He can do for believers who by necessity are separated from others whom they love. David then finds another place of dwelling at En-gedi ("fountain of the kid"), a place of refreshment, even though he was as a helpless, sensitive kid surrounded by beasts of prey

It was a crisis in his history. We have to meet crises, individually, and I think collectively too. Jehoshaphat and all about him were then confronted by a very great difficulty. "It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There comes a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazon-tamar, which is Engedi" (2 Chr. 20:1-2). Well, what did they do? "And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah." Ah, you will never get a right real praise-meeting, until you first fear, and then fast, while seeking the Lord. That is it, my brethren. Do you set yourselves to seek the Lord? I am a very useless piece of goods if I am not setting myself to seek the Lord. How can we get on without His power and grace? Do you ever have a fast-meeting? I recommend you to have one. I will tell you where you will come out at the end of it. You will come out a great deal nearer heaven than before it.

On the restoration of Israel in a future day a river will issue out of the house, the future temple, which river will go down into the desert and run into this sea, and the waters will be healed. En-gedi (Ain Jidy, about half way along the coast of the Dead Sea, on the west) will be one of the stations of the fishermen. Ezek. 47:1-10. A beautiful figure of God's future bringing to life the dead and dry bones of Israel and Judah, and making them the means of life to others.

Then we are informed of great physical changes to take place in the land. It is to be “turned as a plain, from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem.” Hills will disappear and give way to lands easy of cultivation. The Dead Sea is to be healed and to be full of fish (see Ezek. 47:6-10). En-gedi and En-eglaim are on opposite shores of the Dead Sea. The land is to be prosperous—Jerusalem a place to be safely inhabited.