σπήλαιον
a cave, den
Definition
The Greek word σπήλαιον refers to a natural or man-made cave, den, or cavern. In the New Testament, it primarily denotes a physical cave, such as the tomb of Lazarus in John 11:38. However, it is also used metaphorically: Jesus quotes Isaiah 56:7, calling the temple a 'den of robbers' (σπήλαιον λῃστῶν) in Matthew 21:13, Mark 11:17, and Luke 19:46, highlighting a place of corruption and refuge for the wicked. Additionally, Hebrews 11:38 mentions caves as hiding places for the persecuted faithful.
Biblical Usage
Used six times in the New Testament across Gospels, an epistle, and Revelation. In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 21:13, Mark 11:17, Luke 19:46), it appears in Jesus' temple cleansing as a metaphorical 'den of robbers.' John 11:38 uses it literally for Lazarus's burial cave. Hebrews 11:38 references caves as shelters for prophets. Revelation 6:15 describes people hiding in caves from divine judgment, blending literal and symbolic refuge.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek root σπέος (speos), meaning 'cave' or 'grotto.' It is a common noun in ancient Greek for a hollow or cavernous place, with no significant semantic shift in Koine. Cognates appear in classical literature, consistently denoting a natural or excavated cavity.
Semantic Range
Theologically, σπήλαιον enriches understanding of holiness and judgment. Jesus' 'den of robbers' metaphor critiques religious hypocrisy, contrasting God's intended house of prayer with a hideout for sin. In Hebrews 11:38, caves symbolize the world's rejection of faith, while Revelation 6:15 portrays them as futile refuge from God's wrath, emphasizing that no hiding place avails against divine justice.
In the ancient Near East and Greco-Roman world, caves served practical roles as tombs, shelters, and hideouts for people and animals. They were also associated with danger, isolation, or spiritual sites (e.g., oracles). Jesus' audience would instantly grasp the 'den of robbers' imagery—caves were known as bandit lairs, making his temple accusation vividly scandalous.
μνῆμα (mnēma, G3418) — a tomb or grave, focusing on burial; φωλεός (phōleos, G5454) — a wild animal's lair or hole, used metaphorically in Matthew 8:20 for dens.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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