Lexical Definition

‎מְעָרָה‎ mᵉʻârâh (meh-aw-raw') cave ^H:N-F
from ‎עוּר‎

cave, den, hole.

• a cavern (as dark)

1) cave, den, hole

See Greek: σπήλαιον

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎מְעָרָה‎₄₀ noun feminine cave; — absolute ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Gen 19:30 +; construct ‎מְעָרַת‎ Gen 23:19 +; plural ‎מְעָרוֺת‎ Judg 6:2 +, construct id. Isa 2:19 — cave, especially as place of sojourn or refuge Gen 19:30 (J), 1Sam 24:3* (twice in verse); 1Sam 24:7*; 1Sam 24:8*; 1Sam 24:10* (Ginsb; v.1Sam 24:4* v.1Sam 24:8* v.1Sam 24:9* v.1Sam 24:11* van d. H. Bear), 1Kgs 19:1; 1Kgs 19:13; Ezek 33:27; Josh 10:16 (‎בַמַּקֵּדָה‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎) + 7 t. Josh 10; Judg 6:2; 1Sam 13:6; 1Kgs 18:4; 1Kgs 18:13, compare Ps 57:1*; Ps 142:1* ‎מְעָרוֺת צֻרִים‎ Isa 2:19, hence ‎פָּרִצִים‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Jer 7:11 robbers' cave; Isa 32:14 den (of wild beasts); — ‎עֲדֻלָּם‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ 1Sam 22:1; 2Sam 23:13, whence in || 1Chr 11:15, read probably ‎׳‎‎מְצֻדַת ע‎ or ‎מְצָדַת‎ We, compare Dr, Bu Kit HPS; — as burial place, ‎הַמַּכְפֵּלָה‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Gen 23:9 + (see ‎מַכְפֵּלָה‎) = ‎׳‎‎מ‎ alone Gen 23:11; Gen 23:17; Gen 23:20; Gen 49:29; Gen 49:32 (all P). ‎אֲשֶׁר לַצִּידֹנִים‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Josh 13:4 (D), cave-region in Lebanon east of Sidon, modern Mughâr Gezzîn, according to most, but dubious; perhaps, rather, near Tyre Buhl^{MDPV 1895, 55}.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References