Reference: Cave
American
The geological structure of Judea is highly favorable to the formation of caves; and the whole region abounds with subterranean caverns of various dimensions, often giving rise to small rivulets. These were used as dwellings, places of refuge, and tombs. It was in a cave that Lot resided after the destruction of Sodom, Ge 19:30. Petra, in Idumea, was a city of caves, Nu 24:21; Song 2:14; Jer 49:16; Ob 1:3. In the vicinity of Hebron, the poor still live in caves while pasturing their flocks. Natural cavities were sometimes enlarged, and artificial ones made for refuge and defense, Jg 6:2; 1Sa 13:6; Isa 2:19; Jer 41:9. The caves of Machpelah, of Adullam, of Engedi, of Carmel and of Arbela, still exist. See SEPULCHRE.
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And Lot departed out of Zoar and dwelled in the mountains and his two daughters with him for he feared to tarry in Zoar: he dwelt therefore in a cave, both he and his two daughters also.
And he looked on the Kenites, and took his parable, and said, "Strong is thy dwelling place, and put thy nest upon a rock.
And when the hand of the Midianites was sore upon Israel, the children of Israel made them dens in the mountains and caves and strongholds.
Up, haste my love, my dove, in the holes of the rock and secret places of the walls. Show me thy face and let me hear thy voice: for thy voice is sweet and thy fashion beautiful.
Men shall creep into holes of stone, and into caves of the earth, for the fear of the LORD, and from the glory of his majesty: what time as he shall arise to shake the earth.
Now the pit wherein Ishmael did cast the dead bodies of the men whom he slew because of Gedaliah, had king Asa caused to be made, for fear of Baasha the king of Israel, and the same pit did Ishmael fill with slain men.
Thy high stomach and the pride of thy heart have deceived thee; Because thou wilt dwell in the holes of stony rocks, and have the high mountains in possession. Nevertheless, though thy nest were as high as the Eagles, yet will I cast thee down, sayeth the LORD.
The pride of thine heart hath lift thee up, thou that dwellest in the strongholds of stone, and hast made thee a high seat. Thou sayest in thine heart, "Who shall cast me down to the ground?"
Easton
There are numerous natural caves among the limestone rocks of Syria, many of which have been artificially enlarged for various purposes.
The first notice of a cave occurs in the history of Lot (Ge 19:30).
The next we read of is the cave of Machpelah (q.v.), which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth (Ge 25:9-10). It was the burying-place of Sarah and of Abraham himself, also of Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob (Ge 49:31; 50:13).
The cave of Makkedah, into which the five Amorite kings retired after their defeat by Joshua (Jos 10:16,27).
The cave of Adullam (q.v.), an immense natural cavern, where David hid himself from Saul (1Sa 22:1-2).
The cave of Engedi (q.v.), now called 'Ain Jidy, i.e., the "Fountain of the Kid", where David cut off the skirt of Saul's robe (1Sa 24:4). Here he also found a shelter for himself and his followers to the number of 600 (1Sa 23:29-24:1). "On all sides the country is full of caverns which might serve as lurking-places for David and his men, as they do for outlaws at the present day."
The cave in which Obadiah hid the prophets (1Ki 18:4) was probably in the north, but it cannot be identified.
The cave of Elijah (1Ki 19:9), and the "cleft" of Moses on Horeb (Ex 33:22), cannot be determined.
In the time of Gideon the Israelites took refuge from the Midianites in dens and caves, such as abounded in the mountain regions of Manasseh (Jg 6:2).
Caves were frequently used as dwelling-places (Nu 24:21; Song 2:14; Jer 49:16; Ob 1:3). "The excavations at Deir Dubban, on the south side of the wady leading to Santa Hanneh, are probably the dwellings of the Horites," the ancient inhabitants of Idumea Proper. The pits or cavities in rocks were also sometimes used as prisons (Isa 24:22; 51:14; Zec 9:11). Those which had niches in their sides were occupied as burying-places (Eze 32:23; Joh 11:38).
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And Lot departed out of Zoar and dwelled in the mountains and his two daughters with him for he feared to tarry in Zoar: he dwelt therefore in a cave, both he and his two daughters also.
And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the double cave in the field of Ephron, son of Zoar the Hittite before Mamre. Which field Abraham bought of the sons of Heth: There was Abraham buried, and Sara his wife.
There they buried Abraham and Sara his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebecca his wife. And there I buried Lea:
And his sons carried him into the land of Canaan and buried him in the double cave which Abraham had bought with the field to be a place to bury in, of Ephron the Hittite before Mamre.
and while my glory goeth forth I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will put mine hand upon thee while I pass by.
And he looked on the Kenites, and took his parable, and said, "Strong is thy dwelling place, and put thy nest upon a rock.
but the five kings fled and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.
And at the going down of the sun, Joshua gave commandment, and they took them down off the trees and cast them into the cave, where they hid themselves, and laid great stones on the cave's mouth, which remain unto this day.
And when the hand of the Midianites was sore upon Israel, the children of Israel made them dens in the mountains and caves and strongholds.
And David departed thence and escaped, and came unto the cave of Adullam. When his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went thither to him. And there gathered unto him all men that were in cumbrance and in debt and troubled in their hearts, and he became a captain over them. And there were with him upon a four hundred men.
And the men of David said unto him, "See, the day is come of which the LORD said unto thee, 'Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, and thou shalt do with him what it pleaseth thee.'" Then David arose and cut off the tip of Saul's coat privily.
insomuch that when Jezebel destroyed the Prophets of the LORD, he took a hundred of the Prophets and hid them, fifty in one cave and fifty in another, and provided bread and water for them.
and entered there into a cave and lodged there all night. And then the word of the LORD came to him, and said, "What doest thou here, Elijah?"
Up, haste my love, my dove, in the holes of the rock and secret places of the walls. Show me thy face and let me hear thy voice: for thy voice is sweet and thy fashion beautiful.
These shall be coupled together as prisoners be, and shall be shut up in one ward and punished innumerable days.
It cometh on fast, it maketh haste to appear: It shall not perish, that it should not be able to destroy, neither shall it fail for fault of nourishing.
Thy high stomach and the pride of thy heart have deceived thee; Because thou wilt dwell in the holes of stony rocks, and have the high mountains in possession. Nevertheless, though thy nest were as high as the Eagles, yet will I cast thee down, sayeth the LORD.
whose graves lie beside him in the low pit. His commons are buried round about his grave: all together wounded and slain with the sword, which men afore time brought fear in to the land of the living.
The pride of thine heart hath lift thee up, thou that dwellest in the strongholds of stone, and hast made thee a high seat. Thou sayest in thine heart, "Who shall cast me down to the ground?"
Thou also, through the blood of thy covenant, shalt let thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water.
Jesus again groaned in himself and came to the grave: it was a cave, and a stone laid on it.
Hastings
The soft limestone hills of Palestine abound in caves, natural and artificial; and these must have attracted attention from a very early period. The aboriginal race of Horites were cave-dwellers, and the excavation at Gezer has revealed remains of a probably analogous race in W. Palestine. Lot (Ge 19:30) and David (1Sa 22:1 etc.) dwelt for a time in caves; and their use as places of hiding and refuge is illustrated by many passages, e.g., Jos 10:16; Jg 6:2; 1Ki 18:4 etc. Caves were also used, at all periods in the history of Palestine, for sepulture, as in the case of Machpelah (Ge 23). Probably the most remarkable series of caves yet discovered in Palestine are the great labyrinths tunnelled in the bills round Beit Jibrin; one of these, in Tell Sandahannah, contains sixty chambers, united by doors and passages, and groups containing fourteen or fifteen chambers are quite common in the same hill. Another artificial cave near Beit Jibrin contains a hall 80 ft. high and 400 ft. long; it has now fallen in. Other groups of caves, only less extensive, occur in various parts of Palestine on both sides of the Jordan. Little or nothing is known about the history of these great excavations; no definite information about their origin has yet been yielded by them, so far as they have been scientifically explored.
R. A. S. Macalister.
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And Lot departed out of Zoar and dwelled in the mountains and his two daughters with him for he feared to tarry in Zoar: he dwelt therefore in a cave, both he and his two daughters also.
but the five kings fled and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.
And when the hand of the Midianites was sore upon Israel, the children of Israel made them dens in the mountains and caves and strongholds.
And David departed thence and escaped, and came unto the cave of Adullam. When his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went thither to him.
Smith
Cave.
The most remarkable caves noticed in Scripture are, that in which Lot dwelt after the destruction of Sodom,
the cave of Machpelah,
cave of Makkedah,
cave of Adullam,
cave od Engedi,
Obadiah's cave,
Elijah's cave in Horeb,
the rock sepulchres of Lazarus and of our Lord.
Mt 27:60; Joh 11:38
Caves were used for temporary dwelling-places and for tombs.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Lot departed out of Zoar and dwelled in the mountains and his two daughters with him for he feared to tarry in Zoar: he dwelt therefore in a cave, both he and his two daughters also.
Thus was the field of Ephron wherein the double cave is before Mamre - even the field and the cave that is therein, and all the trees of the field which grow in all the borders round about - made sure unto Abraham for a possession,
And the LORD turmoiled them before Israel and slew of them a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron and slew them till they came to Azekah and Makkedah.
And David departed thence and escaped, and came unto the cave of Adullam. When his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went thither to him.
And he came to the flocks of the sheep by a wayside where was a cave. And Saul went in to cover his feet. And David and his men sat along by the sides of the cave.
insomuch that when Jezebel destroyed the Prophets of the LORD, he took a hundred of the Prophets and hid them, fifty in one cave and fifty in another, and provided bread and water for them.
and entered there into a cave and lodged there all night. And then the word of the LORD came to him, and said, "What doest thou here, Elijah?"
and put it in his new tomb, which he had hewn out even in the rock, and rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre and departed.
Jesus again groaned in himself and came to the grave: it was a cave, and a stone laid on it.