Topical Bible: Sepulcher

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Topical Encyclopedia

A sepulcher, also spelled sepulchre, is a burial chamber or tomb, often hewn from rock or constructed as a stone monument. In biblical times, sepulchers were commonly used for the burial of the dead, serving as a final resting place for individuals and families. The use of sepulchers is frequently mentioned throughout the Bible, reflecting the customs and practices of ancient Near Eastern cultures.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, sepulchers are often associated with the patriarchs and significant figures of Israel. For instance, Abraham purchased the cave of Machpelah as a burial site for his wife Sarah, and it became the family sepulcher for the patriarchs (Genesis 23:19-20). This site, located in Hebron, is one of the earliest recorded sepulchers and holds great historical and religious significance.

The practice of using sepulchers is further illustrated in the burial of kings and prophets. For example, King David was buried in the City of David, where his sepulcher was located (1 Kings 2:10). The sepulchers of the kings of Judah were often situated in prominent locations, signifying their importance and the honor accorded to them in death.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, sepulchers continue to play a significant role, particularly in the context of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. The most notable sepulcher is the tomb in which Jesus was laid after His crucifixion. Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy disciple, provided his own new tomb for Jesus' burial (Matthew 27:59-60). This sepulcher, hewn from rock, was sealed with a large stone and guarded by Roman soldiers to prevent any tampering with the body (Matthew 27:65-66).

The resurrection of Jesus is central to Christian faith, and the empty sepulcher serves as a powerful testament to His victory over death. On the third day, women who visited the tomb found it empty, with an angel declaring, "He is not here; He has risen, just as He said" (Matthew 28:6). This event is pivotal in Christian theology, symbolizing the hope of eternal life for believers.

Cultural and Religious Significance

Sepulchers in biblical times were not merely places of burial but also held cultural and religious significance. They were often marked by monuments or inscriptions, serving as memorials for the deceased. The care and maintenance of sepulchers were considered acts of piety and respect for one's ancestors.

The prophets and Jesus Himself criticized the hypocrisy of religious leaders who outwardly honored the sepulchers of the prophets while failing to heed their messages. Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees, saying, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous" (Matthew 23:29). This critique highlights the tension between external religious observance and genuine faithfulness.

Symbolism and Metaphor

In addition to their literal use, sepulchers are employed metaphorically in Scripture to convey spiritual truths. Jesus used the imagery of whitewashed tombs to describe the Pharisees, who appeared righteous outwardly but were spiritually dead within (Matthew 23:27). This metaphor underscores the importance of inner purity and sincerity in one's relationship with God.

Sepulchers also symbolize the transient nature of life and the hope of resurrection. The empty tomb of Jesus is a profound symbol of the promise of new life and the assurance of salvation for those who believe in Him.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) A tomb or burial-place.

Greek

3418. mnema -- a memorial, a sepulcher
... a memorial, a sepulcher. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: mnema Phonetic
Spelling: (mnay'-mah) Short Definition: a tomb, monument Definition: a tomb ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3418.htm - 7k

3419. mnemeion -- a memorial, a monument
... memorial, a monument. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: mnemeion Phonetic
Spelling: (mnay-mi'-on) Short Definition: a tomb, sepulcher Definition: a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3419.htm - 7k

5028. taphos -- a burial, hence a grave
... Noun, Masculine Transliteration: taphos Phonetic Spelling: (taf'-os) Short Definition:
a tomb, burial-place Definition: a burial-place, sepulcher, tomb, grave. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5028.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

6913. qeber -- a grave, sepulcher
... 6912, 6913. qeber. 6914 . a grave, sepulcher. Transliteration: qeber Phonetic
Spelling: (keh'-ber) Short Definition: grave. ... burying place, grave, sepulcher. ...
/hebrew/6913.htm - 6k

6900. qeburah -- a grave, burial
... Word Origin from qabar Definition a grave, burial NASB Word Usage burial (3), burial
place (2), grave (7), tomb (2). burial, burying place, grave, sepulcher. ...
/hebrew/6900.htm - 6k

Library

How, Upon Herod's Going Down into David's Sepulcher, the Sedition ...
... CHAPTER 7. How, Upon Herod's Going Down Into David's Sepulcher, The Sedition
In His Family Greatly Increased. 1. As for Herod, he ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 how upon herods.htm

The Resurrection.
... At the request of the priests, Pilate sealed the door of the sepulcher with the
Roman seal and placed a guard of sixteen Roman soldiers over it, lest "his ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/the resurrection.htm

Personal Notes: Relics Nearby that the Three Kings had Given to ...
... another little bundle there; among its contents are a piece of King Mensor's cloak,
a piece of a red silk covering which was beside the Holy Sepulcher in old ...
/.../the life of the blessed virgin mary/xv personal notes relics nearby.htm

The Power of Christ's Resurrection
... He was buried in a sepulcher, hewn out of a rock, so that it could not
be said that any digged under, and conveyed him away. It ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/the power of christs resurrection.htm

"The Lord is Risen"
... But a heavenly host surrounded the sepulcher. ... Mountains piled upon mountains over
His sepulcher could not have prevented Him from coming forth. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 81 the lord is.htm

"Why Weepest Thou?"
... what was even then taking place, they drew near the garden, saying as they went,
"Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher?" They knew ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 82 why weepest thou.htm

Christ Risen
... tale. From St. John we learn that Mary Magdalene came early to the sepulcher,
from St. Matthew that others were with her, from St. ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 16 1-18 christ risen.htm

The Cruse of Ointment
... On one side, perplexity snatches at all base expedients; the traitor is welcomed,
false witnesses are sought after, and the guards of the sepulcher bribed. ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 14 1-9 the cruse of.htm

Characteristics of the Twelve
... man, so exquisite in its officious well-meaning absurdity as to prove itself, for
who could have invented it?), he ventured into the empty sepulcher while John ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 3 14-19 characteristics of the.htm

"The Sun of Righteousness"
... Thus our Lord Jesus Christ when he rose from the dead, was as the sun unveiling
itself. He came forth from the sepulcher as a bridegroom from his chamber. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/the sun of righteousness.htm

Thesaurus

Sepulcher (48 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Sepulcher (48 Occurrences). ... (WBS). Matthew 27:61 And there
was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulcher. ...
/s/sepulcher.htm - 20k

Golgotha (4 Occurrences)
... Mons Calvary appears as early as the 4th century, and is materialized in the
traditional site of the Crucifixion in the church of the Holy Sepulcher, but that ...
/g/golgotha.htm - 19k

Sepulchers (15 Occurrences)
... Hear us, my lord; thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchers
bury thy dead: none of us will withhold from thee his sepulcher, but that ...
/s/sepulchers.htm - 11k

Burial (25 Occurrences)
... as the charred bones were buried by the same men under the tamarisk at Jabesh, and
later, by David's order, removed and laid to rest in the sepulcher of Kish ...
/b/burial.htm - 42k

Kish (18 Occurrences)
... In 1 Chronicles 12:1, Kish is also mentioned as the father of Saul, and again in
2 Samuel 21:14, we are told that the sepulcher of Kish was located in the ...
/k/kish.htm - 15k

Joanna (3 Occurrences)
... 3). Along with other women she accompanied Jesus on His last journey from Galilee
to Jerusalem, and was present when His body was laid in the sepulcher (Luke 23 ...
/j/joanna.htm - 8k

Grave (128 Occurrences)
... 13. (n.) An excavation in the earth as a place of burial; also, any place of
interment; a tomb; a sepulcher. Hence: Death; destruction. 14. ...
/g/grave.htm - 37k

Frightened (38 Occurrences)
... (See NAS). Mark 16:5 And entering into the sepulcher, they saw a young man sitting
on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were frightened. ...
/f/frightened.htm - 17k

Towards (416 Occurrences)
... Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day
of the week, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. ...
/t/towards.htm - 35k

Tomb (70 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A pit in which the dead body of a human
being is deposited; a grave; a sepulcher. 2. (n.) A house ...
/t/tomb.htm - 31k

Resources

Why did Isa/Jesus have to die? | GotQuestions.org

What is Bethel Church, Redding CA? | GotQuestions.org

Does the Bible teach mortal and venial sin? | GotQuestions.org

Grave: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Sepulcher (48 Occurrences)

Matthew 27:60
And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulcher, and departed.
(WBS)

Matthew 27:61
And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulcher.
(WBS)

Matthew 27:64
Command therefore that the sepulcher be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say to the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error will be worse than the first.
(WBS)

Matthew 27:66
So they went, and having sealed the stone, made the sepulcher secure with a watch.
(WBS)

Matthew 28:1
In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary to see the sepulcher.
(WBS)

Matthew 28:8
And they departed quickly from the sepulcher, with fear and great joy; and ran to bring word to his disciples.
(WBS)

Mark 15:46
And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulcher which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone to the door of the sepulcher.
(WBS)

Mark 16:2
And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came to the sepulcher at the rising of the sun:
(WBS)

Mark 16:3
And they said among themselves, Who shall roll away for us the stone from the door of the sepulcher?
(WBS)

Mark 16:5
And entering into the sepulcher, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were frightened.
(WBS)

Mark 16:8
And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulcher; for they trembled, and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
(WBS)

Luke 23:53
And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulcher that was hewn in stone, in which man was never before laid.
(WBS)

Luke 23:55
And the women also, who came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulcher, and how his body was laid.
(WBS)

Luke 24:1
Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
(WBS)

Luke 24:2
And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher.
(WBS)

Luke 24:9
And returned from the sepulcher, and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest.
(WBS)

Luke 24:12
Then Peter arose, and ran to the sepulcher, and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which had come to pass.
(WBS)

Luke 24:22
Yes, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, who were early at the sepulcher.
(WBS)

Luke 24:24
And certain of them who were with us, went to the sepulcher, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
(WBS)

John 19:41
Now in the place where he was crucified, there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulcher, in which was never man yet laid.
(WBS)

John 19:42
There they laid Jesus therefore, because of the Jews' preparation-day, for the sepulcher was nigh at hand.
(WBS)

John 20:1
The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, to the sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher.
(WBS)

John 20:2
Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith to them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid him.
(WBS)

John 20:3
Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulcher.
(WBS)

John 20:4
So they ran both together: and the other disciple outran Peter, and came first to the sepulcher.
(WBS)

John 20:6
Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulcher, and seeth the linen cloths lying;
(WBS)

John 20:8
Then went in also that other disciple who came first to the sepulcher, and he saw, and believed.
(WBS)

John 20:11
But Mary stood without at the sepulcher weeping: and as she wept she stooped down to look into the sepulcher,
(WBS)

Acts 2:29
Men, brethren, let me freely speak to you concerning the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us to this day.
(WBS)

Acts 7:16
And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulcher that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.
(WBS)

Acts 13:29
And when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulcher.
(WBS)

Romans 3:13
Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
(WBS)

Genesis 23:6
Hear us, my lord; thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchers bury thy dead: none of us will withhold from thee his sepulcher, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.
(Root in WBS)

Deuteronomy 34:6
And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulcher to this day.
(WBS)

Judges 8:32
And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulcher of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.
(WBS)

1 Samuel 10:2
When thou hast departed from me to-day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulcher in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?
(WBS)

2 Samuel 2:32
And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulcher of his father, which was in Beth-lehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.
(WBS)

2 Samuel 4:12
And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the sepulcher of Abner in Hebron.
(WBS)

2 Samuel 21:14
And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son they buried in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulcher of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was entreated for the land.
(WBS)

1 Kings 13:22
But hast returned, and hast eaten bread and drank water in the place, of which the LORD said to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcass shall not come to the sepulcher of thy fathers.
(WBS)

1 Kings 13:31
And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulcher in which the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones:
(WBS)

2 Kings 9:28
And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulcher with his fathers in the city of David.
(WBS)

2 Kings 21:26
And he was buried in his sepulcher in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead.
(WBS)

2 Kings 23:17
Then he said, What title is that which I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulcher of the man of God, who came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Beth-el.
(WBS)

2 Kings 23:30
And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulcher. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah and anointed him, and made him king in his father's stead.
(WBS)

Psalms 5:9
For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulcher; they flatter with their tongue.
(WBS)

Isaiah 22:16
What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulcher here, as he that heweth him out a sepulcher on high, and that graveth a habitation for himself in a rock?
(WBS)

Jeremiah 5:16
Their quiver is as an open sepulcher, they are all mighty men.
(WBS)

Subtopics

Grave

Grave: General Scriptures Concerning

Sepulcher

Related Terms

Espied (3 Occurrences)

Nehemiah (9 Occurrences)

Sepulcher (48 Occurrences)

Joash (49 Occurrences)

Jehoash (28 Occurrences)

Persepolis