33 Bible Verses about Caves

Most Relevant Verses

1 Kings 19:9

And there he came to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

Judges 6:2

And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.

1 Samuel 22:1-2

David therefore departed there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

Genesis 19:30

Lot went up out of Zoar, and lived in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he was afraid to live in Zoar. He lived in a cave with his two daughters.

Joshua 10:16-18

These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. Joshua was told, saying, "The five kings are found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah." Joshua said, "Roll large stones to the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to guard them;

Judges 15:8

He struck them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and lived in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

1 Samuel 13:6

When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in coverts, and in pits.

1 Samuel 24:2-22

Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats. He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave. The men of David said to him, "Behold, the day of which the LORD said to you, 'Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.'" Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly.read more.
It happened afterward, that David's heart struck him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, since he is the LORD's anointed." So David checked his men with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, "My lord the king." When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and showed respect. David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to men's words, saying, 'Behold, David seeks your hurt?' Behold, this day your eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you; but I spared you; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the LORD's anointed. Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt for my life to take it. May the LORD judge between me and you, and may the LORD avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be on you. As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness;' but my hand shall not be on you. Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea? May the LORD therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand." It came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. He said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you. You have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, because when the LORD had delivered me up into your hand, you did not kill me. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may the LORD reward you good for that which you have done to me this day. Now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. Swear now therefore to me by the LORD, that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house." David swore to Saul. Saul went home; but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

2 Samuel 17:9

Behold, he is now hidden in some pit, or in some other place. It will happen, when some of them have fallen at the first, that whoever hears it will say, 'There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.'

2 Samuel 23:13

Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

1 Chronicles 11:15

Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

1 Kings 18:4

For so it was, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

Psalm 57:1

Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, for my soul takes refuge in you. Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, until disaster has passed.

Psalm 142:1

I cry with my voice to the LORD. With my voice, I ask the LORD for mercy.

Isaiah 2:19-21

Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily. In that day, men shall cast away their idols of silver, and their idols of gold, which have been made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily.

Jeremiah 48:28

You inhabitants of Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock; and be like the dove that makes her nest over the mouth of the abyss.

Jeremiah 49:8

Flee, turn back, dwell in the depths, inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau on him, the time that I shall visit him.

Ezekiel 33:27

"You shall tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "As I live, surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword; and him who is in the open field will I give to the animals to be devoured; and those who are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.

Revelation 6:15

The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains.

John 11:38

So Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it.

Genesis 23:8-20

He talked with them, saying, "If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me among you for a possession of a burying-place." Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the children of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying,read more.
"No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead." Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land. He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, "But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there." Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, "My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead." Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants' standard. So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all of its borders, were deeded to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan. The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham for a possession of a burying place by the children of Heth.

Genesis 25:9

Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre,

Genesis 49:29-32

He instructed them, and said to them, "I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as a burial place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah, his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah, his wife, and there I buried Leah:read more.
the field and the cave that is therein, which was purchased from the children of Heth."

Genesis 50:13

for his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field, for a possession of a burial site, from Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.

1 Samuel 22:1

David therefore departed there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him.

Isaiah 2:19

Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily.

Genesis 23:9

that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me among you for a possession of a burying-place."

Joshua 10:16

These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.

From Thematic Bible


Caves » Were used as » Places of concealment

1 Samuel 13:6

When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in coverts, and in pits.

1 Kings 18:4

For so it was, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

1 Samuel 14:11

Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, "Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden themselves."

Caves » Afford no protection from the judgments of God

Ezekiel 33:27

"You shall tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "As I live, surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword; and him who is in the open field will I give to the animals to be devoured; and those who are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.

Isaiah 2:19

Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily.

Revelation 6:15

The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains.

Caves » Mentioned in scripture » En-gedi

1 Samuel 23:29-1

David went up from there, and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi. It happened, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, "Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi."

1 Samuel 24:3

He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave.

Caves » Were used as » Haunts of robbers

Jeremiah 7:11

Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, says the LORD.

Matthew 21:13

He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a den of robbers."

Caves » Often capacious

1 Samuel 22:1

David therefore departed there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him.

1 Samuel 24:3

He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave.

Caves » Were used as » Resting places

1 Kings 19:9

And there he came to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

1 Samuel 24:3

He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave.

Caves » Were used as » Burial places

John 11:38

So Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it.

Genesis 23:19

After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan.

Caves » Mentioned in scripture » Makkedah

John 10:16-17

I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd. Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.

Caves » Mentioned in scripture » Adullam

1 Samuel 22:1

David therefore departed there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him.

Caves » Were used as » Dwelling-places

Genesis 19:30

Lot went up out of Zoar, and lived in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he was afraid to live in Zoar. He lived in a cave with his two daughters.

Caves » Found in the » Open fields

Genesis 23:20

The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham for a possession of a burying place by the children of Heth.

Caves » Natural

Caves » Mentioned in scripture » Machpelah

Genesis 23:9

that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me among you for a possession of a burying-place."

Caves » Found in the » Rocks

Isaiah 2:19

Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily.

Caves » Were used as » Hiding places of wild beasts

Nahum 2:12

The lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his caves with the kill, and his dens with prey.

Caves » Artificial

Judges 6:2

And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.

Topics on Caves

Caves As Places Of Refuge

Judges 6:2

And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.

Caves For Burying

Genesis 23:9

that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me among you for a possession of a burying-place."

Caves Used As Graves

Isaiah 65:4

who sit among the graves, and lodge in the secret places; who eat pig's flesh, and the broth of abominable things is in their vessels;

People In Caves

Isaiah 2:19

Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily.

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Theasaurus: Caves