Hebrew · H4631

מְעָרָה

A cavern (as dark)

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מְעָרָהH4631

Pronunciationmĕʿārāh

What does מְעָרָה (mĕʿārāh) mean in the Bible?

מְעָרָה (mĕʿārāh): Cave as place of refuge, concealment, or isolation; darkness emphasizes separation from normal community life

Full entry for מְעָרָה (H4631) · Open the biblical lexicon

Questions this entry answers

What does מְעָרָה (mĕʿārāh) mean in the Bible?

מְעָרָה (mĕʿārāh): Cave as place of refuge, concealment, or isolation; darkness emphasizes separation from normal community life

How does the BSB render H4631?

The BSB source-word alignment has 39 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the cave (13), in the cave (5), of the cave (5), a cave (2), caves (2).

Where does מְעָרָה (mĕʿārāh) appear in Scripture?

The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 19:30. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (11), Joshua (8), 1 Samuel (7), 1 Kings (4).

Source Word Evidence

BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.

How English Renders It

the cave13×Genesis 23:9, Genesis 23:17, Genesis 23:19, Genesis 25:9

in the cave5×Genesis 50:13, Joshua 10:16, Joshua 10:17, 1 Samuel 24:10

of the cave5×Joshua 10:18, Joshua 10:22, Joshua 10:27, 1 Samuel 24:3

a cave2×1 Samuel 24:3, 1 Kings 19:9

caves2×Judges 6:2, Isaiah 32:14

per cave2×1 Kings 18:4, 1 Kings 18:13

. . .1×Joshua 10:22

a den1×Jeremiah 7:11

and caves1×Ezekiel 33:27

and the cave1×Genesis 49:32

cave1×Genesis 23:20

in a cave1×Genesis 19:30

in caves1×1 Samuel 13:6

into the cave1×Psalms 57:1

to caves1×Isaiah 2:19

you the cave1×Genesis 23:11

Show sample aligned rows

Usage map

A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.

First aligned rowGenesis 19:30

Aligned rows39

Books represented11

Genesis11Joshua8Judges11 Samuel72 Samuel11 Kings41 Chronicles1Psalms2Isaiah2Jeremiah1Ezekiel1

Source forms

בַּמְּעָרָ֔ה4xbam·mə·‘ā·rāhGenesis 19:30, 1 Samuel 24:10, 1 Kings 18:4, 1 Kings 18:13

הַמְּעָרָ֑ה4xham·mə·‘ā·rāhJoshua 10:18, Joshua 10:22, Joshua 10:23, 1 Kings 19:13

הַמְּעָרָ֖ה3xham·mə·‘ā·rāhJoshua 10:27, 1 Samuel 24:3, 1 Kings 19:9

מְעָרַ֖ת3xmə·‘ā·raṯGenesis 25:9, 2 Samuel 23:13, 1 Chronicles 11:15

וְהַמְּעָרָ֥ה2xwə·ham·mə·‘ā·rāhGenesis 23:11, Genesis 49:32

בַמְּעָרָ֖ה1xḇam·mə·‘ā·rāhJoshua 10:16

בַמְּעָרָ֣ה1xḇam·mə·‘ā·rāhPsalms 142:1

בַּמְּעָרָ֞ה1xbam·mə·‘ā·rāhGenesis 49:30

Parsing patterns

Article | Noun - feminine singular10xGenesis 49:29, Joshua 10:18, Joshua 10:22, Joshua 10:23

Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular9xGenesis 19:30, Genesis 49:30, Joshua 10:16, Joshua 10:17

Noun - feminine singular construct6xGenesis 23:9, Genesis 23:19, Genesis 25:9, 1 Samuel 22:1

Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular4xGenesis 23:11, Genesis 23:17, Genesis 23:20, Genesis 49:32

Preposition-m, Article | Noun - feminine singular2x1 Samuel 24:7, 1 Samuel 24:8

Article | Noun - feminine plural1xJudges 6:2

Article | Noun - feminine singular construct1xJeremiah 7:11

Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural1xEzekiel 33:27

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain

Full license details

מְעָרָה

What does מְעָרָה (mĕʿārāh) mean in the Bible?

What does מְעָרָה (mĕʿārāh) mean in the Bible?

How does the BSB render H4631?

Where does מְעָרָה (mĕʿārāh) appear in Scripture?

Evidence Summary

Source Gloss