The oasis & fresh water spring—its name means "spring of the kid"—in the Judean desert overlooking the Dead Sea, most famous among Christians for being the place where Saul had gone to pursuing after David who was living among its strongholds and, when Saul was relieving himself, David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe. Striken in his conscience for having done such a thing, David repented, and confronted Saul to affirm to him his promise never to do him harm (1 Sam 23:29-24:22).
En-Gedi has a long pre-Israelite history—archaeological excavations reveal several fortresses as well as a Canaanite temple dated sometime in the 3rd Mill BC—and was famous at different times in its history for its vineyard and aromatic produce (cf., Sol 1:14). The Chronicler also know of the place as Hazazon Tamar (2 Chron 20:2).
Nahal Arugot, En Gedi
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