En Gedi is a rare oasis on the western shore of the Dead Sea, where freshwater springs cascade down a rocky ravine into the Judean desert. Its waterfalls and vineyards stand in sharp contrast to the barren land around it.
It was there that David took refuge while fleeing from Saul, hiding among the caves and natural strongholds of the region. In one of those caves, he had the chance to kill the king who was hunting him, and instead cut off only the corner of his robe, sparing his life.
Centuries earlier, in the time of Abraham, the same region already appeared in the Bible under the name Hazezon Tamar, when it was conquered by the coalition of kings led by Kedorlaomer. The same place would be mentioned again in 2 Chronicles, when an enemy army camped there before attacking King Jehoshaphat.
En Gedi also appears in biblical poetry: the Song of Solomon celebrates its henna-scented vineyards, and the prophet Ezekiel announces that its waters will one day teem with life.
A place of contrasts: desert and living water, danger and mercy. It reveals how God sustains his people even through the driest stretches of the journey.
