Difference between revisions of "Cave"

<p> <b> CAVE </b> <b> ( </b> מִעָרָה, חֹד, σπήλαιον).—Caves, both natural and artificial, abound in Palestine; the soft chalky soil of [[Syria]] readily lends itself to both. [[Caves]] were used in [[Palestine]] for a variety of purposes; originally as dwelling-places* [Note: Recent excavations in Palestine have thrown considerable light on Troglodyte dwellings, see PEFSt, 1903, pp. 20–23.] (cf. the ‘Horites’ or ‘cave-dwellers,’ &nbsp;Genesis 14:6; &nbsp;Genesis 36:20 ff., &nbsp;Deuteronomy 2:22, see also &nbsp;Genesis 19:30). In the Haurân there must have been many of these; sometimes regular underground towns, such as the ancient Edrei, existed:† [Note: Wetzstein, Reisebericht über [[Hauran]] und die Trachonen, p. 44 ff.] even at the present day there may be seen in [[Gilead]] ( <i> Wâdy Ezrak </i> ), a village, named Anab, of Troglodyte dwellers; in this village there are about a hundred families.‡ [Note: Nowack, Hebräische Archäalogie, i. 136.] Caves were used, further, as places of refuge (&nbsp;Judges 6:2, &nbsp;1 Samuel 13:8; &nbsp;1 Samuel 14:11, &nbsp;1 Kings 18:4, &nbsp;Hebrews 11:38, &nbsp;Revelation 6:15), as hiding-places for robbers (&nbsp;Jeremiah 7:11, cf. &nbsp;Matthew 21:13, &nbsp;Mark 11:17, &nbsp;Luke 19:46), as stables,§ [Note: Conder, [[Tent]] Work in Palestine, p. 145.] as cisterns,|| [Note: | PEFSt, 1903, p. 315.] as folds for flocks,¶ [Note: [[Jewish]] Encycl. iii. 634.] and, above all, as burying-places (&nbsp;Genesis 23:19; &nbsp;Genesis 49:29, &nbsp;John 11:38); the accounts of the burial caves discovered in the lower strata of the site of ancient [[Gezer]] are of the highest interest.** [Note: * See PEFSt, 1902, pp. 347–356; 1903, pp. 14–20; 1904, pp. 18–20, 113, 114.] </p> <p> It is, however, in reference to the place of birth and the place of burial of Christ that the chief interest in caves centres here. Justin [[Martyr]] ( <i> Dial. circa (about) </i> <i> Tryph </i> . lxxviii.), in recounting the story of the birth of Christ, says that it took place in a cave (ἐν σπηλαίῳ τινι) near the village of Bethlehem.†† [Note: † Cf. also Tobler, [[Bethlehem]] in Palästina, pp. 145–159; Palmer, ‘Das jetzige Bethlehem’ in ZDPV xvii. p. 89 ff.] That cave stables, both ancient and modern, are to be found in Palestine, admits of no doubt. Conder‡‡ [Note: ‡ Op. cit. p. 145.] says that there are ‘innumerable instances of stables cut in rock, resembling the Bethlehem grotto. Such stables I have planned and measured at Tekoa, ’Aziz, and other places south of Bethlehem, and the mangers existing in them leave no doubt as to their use and character.’ It seems, therefore, not unreasonable to accept the ancient tradition that Christ was born in a cave. See art. Bethlehem. </p> <p> Rock-hewn tombs, or caves for burial, were of four distinct kinds: (1) tombs which were cut down into the rock, in the same way in which graves are dug at the present time in European countries; the body was let down into these; (2) tombs cut into the face of the rock, into which the bodies were pushed; (3) tombs, somewhat like the last class, excepting that within, against the wall, there was a kind of step, about two feet high, upon which the body was laid; (4) tombs which were little more than a shelf cut into the rock, just long enough and high enough to hold the body. The first three of these classes varied very much in size; in the case of the first, the top, which was level with the ground, was covered with a stone slab; the others were closed by means of a stone slab which could be pushed aside (&nbsp;Matthew 27:60), or else a small door was fixed at the entrance. Tombs were not infrequently furnished with an antechamber, from which one entered into an inner space, the tomb proper, through a low doorway. As a rule, a raised shelf ran round the burial-chamber, and upon this the body was laid; that part on which the head rested was slightly higher.* [Note: Nowack, Heb. Arch. i. 191; Benzinger, Heb. Arch. pp. 225–227; Latham, The Risen Master, pp. 32 ff., 87, 88, and see the two illustrations at the commencement of the work.] See Burial, Tomb. </p> <p> The data to be gathered from the [[Gospels]] are not numerous; see &nbsp;Matthew 27:60, &nbsp;Mark 15:46, &nbsp;Luke 23:53, &nbsp;John 11:38; &nbsp;John 20:1-12. </p> <p> Literature.—Guthe in <i> ZDP </i> V [Note: DPV Zeitschrift des Deutschen Palästina-Vereins.] , ‘Zur Topographie der Grabeskirche in Jerusalem,’ xiv. 35–40; Schick in <i> ZDP </i> V [Note: DPV Zeitschrift des Deutschen Palästina-Vereins.] , ‘Neu aufgedeckte Graber,’ xvi. 202–205, where a very interesting plate is given; T. Tobler, <i> Bethlehem in Palatstina </i> , pp. 124–227, S. Gallen, 1849; Badeker, <i> Palestine and Syria </i> 3 [Note: designates the particular edition of the work referred] , p. cxi ff., Leipzig, 1898; the references, given above, in <i> PEFS </i> t [Note: EFSt Quarterly Statement of the same.] . See also W. R Smith, <i> R </i> S [Note: S [[Religion]] of the Semites.] 197 f., and the ‘Index of Subjects’ in Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible, Extra Volume. </p> <p> W. O. E. Oesterley. </p>

<div> '''1: ὀπή ''' (Strong'S #3692 — Noun [[Feminine]] — ope — op-ay' ) </div> <p> perhaps from ops, "sight," denotes "a hole, an opening," such as a fissure in a rock, &nbsp;Hebrews 11:38 . In &nbsp;James 3:11 , the RV has "opening," of the orifice of a fountain (AV, "place"). See Place. </p> <div> '''2: σπήλαιον ''' (Strong'S #4693 — Noun Neuter — spelaion — spay'-lah-yon ) </div> <p> "a grotto, cavern, den" (Lat., spelunca), "cave," &nbsp;John 11:38 , is said of the grave of Lazarus; in the RV in &nbsp;Hebrews 11:38; &nbsp;Revelation 6:15 (AV, "dens"); in the Lord's rebuke concerning the defilement of the Temple, &nbsp; Matthew 21:13; &nbsp;Mark 11:17; &nbsp;Luke 19:46 , "den" is used. </p>

<p> '''Cave.''' The most remarkable caves noticed in [[Scripture]] are, that in which Lot dwelt after the destruction of Sodom, &nbsp;Genesis 19:30; the cave of Machpelah, &nbsp;Genesis 23:17; cave of Makkedah, &nbsp;Joshua 10:10; cave of Adullam, &nbsp;1 Samuel 22:1; cave of Engedi, &nbsp;1 Samuel 24:3; Obadiah's cave, &nbsp;1 Kings 18:4; Elijah's cave in Horeb, &nbsp;1 Kings 19:9; and, the rock sepulchres of [[Lazarus]] and of our Lord. &nbsp;Matthew 27:60; &nbsp;John 11:38. Caves were used for temporary dwelling-places and for tombs. </p>

<p> '''(1):''' (v. i.) To fall in or down; as, the sand bank caved. Hence (Slang), to retreat from a position; to give way; to yield in a disputed matter. </p> <p> '''(2):''' (v. i.) To dwell in a cave. </p> <p> '''(3):''' (n.) To make hollow; to scoop out. </p> <p> '''(4):''' (n.) A hollow place in the earth, either natural or artificial; a subterraneous cavity; a cavern; a den. </p> <p> '''(5):''' (n.) A coalition or group of seceders from a political party, as from the [[Liberal]] party in [[England]] in 1866. See Adullam, [[Cave]] of, in the Dictionary of Noted Names in Fiction. </p> <p> '''(6):''' (n.) Any hollow place, or part; a cavity. </p>

<p> '''''kāv''''' ( מערה , <i> '''''me‛ārāh''''' </i> (compare Arabic <i> '''''maghārah''''' </i> ), חור , <i> '''''ḥōr''''' </i> (&nbsp;Job 30:6 the King James Version), מחלּות , <i> '''''mehīllōth''''' </i> (&nbsp;Isaiah 2:19 ); ὀπή , <i> '''''opḗ''''' </i> (&nbsp;Hebrews 11:38 ), σπήλαιον , <i> '''''spḗlaion''''' </i> (&nbsp;John 11:38 ); <i> '''''ḥōr''''' </i> , more often rendered "hole," is akin to Arabic <i> '''''khaur''''' </i> , "gulf" or "inlet," but is also related to <i> '''''me‛ārāh''''' </i> (compare also Arabic <i> '''''ghaur''''' </i> "low-land," especially of the [[Jordan]] valley and [[Dead]] Sea). <i> '''''Meḥillōth''''' </i> (root, <i> '''''ḥālal''''' </i> , "to pierce" (compare Arabic <i> '''''khall''''' </i> , "to pierce")) occurs only in &nbsp;Isaiah 2:19 , where the King James Version has "caves" and translates <i> '''''me‛ārōth''''' </i> in the same verse by "holes." In the Revised Version (British and American) these words are very properly changed about. <i> '''''Spēlaion''''' </i> is a common Greek word for "cave"; <i> '''''opē''''' </i> means rather "hole"): In Palestine as in other limestone countries, caves are of frequent occurrence, and not a few of large size are known. [[Water]] from the rain and snow, seeping down through cracks, enlarges the passages through which it goes by dissolving away the substance of the rock. Just as upon the surface of the land the trickling streams unite to form brooks and rivers, so many subterranean streams may come together in a spacious channel, and may issue upon the surface as a bold spring. The cave of the [[Dog]] River near Beirût and that of <i> ''''''Afḳa''''' </i> (perhaps [[Aphek]] (&nbsp;Joshua 13:4 )) in [[Lebanon]] are excellent examples of this. Not infrequently after forming a cave the stream of water may find some lower outlet by a different route, leaving its former course dry. In some cases the hinder part of the roof of the cave may fall in, leaving the front part standing as a natural bridge. Numerous shallow caves, especially in the faces of cliffs, are formed not by seeping water, but by atmospheric erosion, a portion of a relatively soft stratum of rock being hollowed out, while harder strata above and below it are but little worn away. Many of the hermits' caves originated in this way and were artificially enlarged and walled up at the mouth. The principal caves mentioned in the [[Bible]] are those of [[Machpelah]] , [[Makkedah]] and [[Adullam]] (which see). See [[Den]] . </p>

<p> '''Bibliography Information''' McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Cave'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and [[Ecclesiastical]] Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/c/cave.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870. </p>