20 Bible Verses about Caves As Places Of Refuge

The Midianites were very oppressive over Israel. So much so that the people of Israel hid from them in caves and other safe places in the mountains.

David escaped from the town of Gath and he went to Adullam Cave. Once they found out where he was his brothers and the rest of his family followed him there. A lot of other people joined him too. Some were in trouble. Others were angry or in debt. David was soon the leader of four hundred men.

Lot was afraid to stay in Zoar. So he and his two daughters moved up into the hills and lived in a cave.

These five kings ran away and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. Joshua was told: The five kings are found hidden in a cave at Makkedah. Joshua said: Roll large stones in front of the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to guard them.

He attacked them fiercely and killed many of them. After that he stayed in the cave in the cliff at Etam. The Philistines came and camped in Judah. They attacked the town of Lehi. The men of Judah asked: Why do you attack us? They answered: We came to take Samson prisoner and to treat him as he treated us.read more.
These three thousand men of Judah went to the cave in the cliff at Etam and said to Samson: Do you know that the Philistines are our rulers? What did you do? He answered: I did to them just what they did to me.

The Israelite army realized that they were outnumbered and were going to lose the battle. Some of the Israelite men hid in caves, thickets and rocks. Others hid in tombs or in deep dry pits.

Saul led three thousand of Israel's best soldiers out to look for David and his men near Wild Goat Rocks at En-Gedi. There were some sheep pens along the side of the road. One of them was built around the entrance to a cave. So Saul went into the cave to relieve himself. David and his men were hiding at the back of the cave. They whispered to David: Jehovah told you he was going to let you defeat your enemies and do whatever you want with them. This must be the day Jehovah was talking about. David sneaked over and cut off a small piece of Saul's robe and Saul did not notice.read more.
Later David's conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul's robe. He told his men: Stop talking foolishly. We are not going to attack Saul. He is my king. I pray that Jehovah will keep me from doing anything to harm his chosen king. David stopped his men by saying this to them. He did not let them attack Saul. Saul left the cave and went out onto the road. Then David got up and left the cave. He called to Saul: My lord! When Saul looked back. David knelt down with his face touching the ground. David asked Saul: Why do you listen to rumors that I am trying to harm you? Today you saw how Jehovah handed you over to me in the cave. Although I was told to kill you I spared you. I said: 'I will not raise my hand against my lord because you are Jehovah's anointed.' My master, look at this! The border of your robe is in my hand! I cut off the border of your robe and did not kill you. You should know and be able to see I mean no harm or rebellion. I have not sinned against you! But you are trying to ambush me in order to take my life. I will let Jehovah decide which one of us has done right. I pray that Jehovah will punish you for what you are doing to me. However, I will not do anything to you. An old proverb says: 'Only evil people do evil things.' So I will not harm you. Why should the king of Israel be out chasing me, anyway? I am as worthless as a dead dog or a flea. I pray that Jehovah will help me escape and show that I am in the right. David, my son is that you? Saul asked. Then he started crying. He said: David, you are a better person than I am. You treated me with kindness when I was cruel to you. You have shown me how you were kind enough not to kill me when Jehovah gave you the chance. You would not let me live if you were my enemy. I pray that Jehovah will reward you for what you did today. I know now you will be the next king. You will be a powerful king too. Promise me with Jehovah as your witness, that you will not destroy my descendants. Let them live to keep my family name alive. David promised and Saul went home. David and his men returned to their hideout.

He has no doubt already found a hiding place in a cave or somewhere else. When people hear that some of your soldiers have been killed, everyone will think your entire army has been destroyed.

At harvest time three of the thirty leading men came to David at the cave of Adullam when a troop from the Philistine army was camping in the valley of Rephaim.

Now three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam. The army of the Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

When Jezebel massacred the prophets of Jehovah, Obadiah took a hundred of them, and hid them secretly in a hole in the rock, fifty at a time, and gave them bread and water. Ahab said to Obadiah: Come! Let us go through all the country, to all the fountains of water and all the rivers. Let us see if there is any grass for the horses and the transport beasts. We must save some of the livestock. They went through all the country by dividing it between them. Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another by himself.read more.
While Obadiah was on his way, he came face to face with Elijah. Seeing who it was, he went down on his face and said: Is it you, my lord Elijah? Elijah answered: It is I. Go tell your lord Elijah is here. He said: What sin have I done that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab to kill him? By the life of Jehovah your God, there is not a nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent in search of you. When they said: He is not here; he made them take an oath that they had not seen you. Now you say: 'Go, say to your lord Elijah is here.' What if the Spirit of Jehovah carries you off to some unknown place as soon as I leave? Then, when I tell Ahab that you are here and he cannot find you, he will put me to death. Remember that I have been a devout worshiper of Jehovah ever since I was a boy. Have you not heard that when Jezebel was killing Jehovah's prophets I hid a hundred of them in caves, in two groups of fifty, and supplied them with food and water?

He went into a cave and spent the night. The word of Jehovah came to him, saying: What are you doing here, Elijah?

([Psalm of David]) Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me for I take refuge in you. Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge until disaster has passed.

([David's Prayer]) I cry loudly to Jehovah. Loudly, I plead with Jehovah for mercy.

People will go into caves in the rocks and into holes in the ground because of Jehovah's terrifying presence and the honor of his majesty when he rises to shake the earth. That day people will throw their silver and gold idols, that they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and the bats. They will go into caves in the rocks and into cracks in the cliffs because of Jehovah's terrifying presence and the honor of his majesty when he rises to shake the earth.

You people who live in Moab, leave your towns! Go and live on the cliffs! Be like the dove that makes its nest in the sides of a ravine.'

Turn and run, take cover in deep places inhabitants of Dedan. When I punish them, I will bring disaster on the descendants of Esau.

Tell them: 'This is what the Lord Jehovah says: As I am alive, whoever is in the ruined cities will be killed in battle. Whoever is in the open field will become food for wild animals. Whoever is in fortified places and caves will die from plagues.

The world was not worthy of them! They wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

The kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the military commanders, and the mighty men, and every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains.