Difference between revisions of "Cave"

<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> ''''' 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>