Bible Word Study
מַכְפֵּלָה
Makpêlâh · Makpelah, a place in Palestine
מַכְפֵּלָה
Makpelah, a place in Palestine
Definition
Makpelah refers to a specific field and cave located near Hebron in ancient Canaan, purchased by Abraham as a burial site for his wife Sarah (Genesis 23:9). This location became the family tomb for the patriarchs and matriarchs, as Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Leah were all later buried there (Genesis 49:30-31, Genesis 50:13). The name itself, meaning 'double' or 'fold,' may describe the cave's physical structure or its significance as a doubled or especially honored grave.
Biblical Usage
The term is used exclusively in Genesis, specifically in chapters 23, 25, 49, and 50, always in the context of Abraham's purchase and its subsequent use as the patriarchal burial ground. It appears in legal transaction narratives (Genesis 23:9, 17), burial accounts (Genesis 23:19, 25:9), and Jacob's final instructions concerning his own interment (Genesis 49:30).
Etymology
Derived from the Hebrew root כָּפַל (kāphal, H3717), meaning 'to double' or 'to fold.' This suggests the name likely describes a physical characteristic of the cave, such as a double chamber or a folded, complex structure. The root conveys the idea of something multiplied or repeated.
Semantic Range
The Cave of Makpelah is profoundly significant as the first piece of the Promised Land legally owned by the Hebrew patriarchs, fulfilling part of God's covenant promise of land to Abraham's descendants (Genesis 15:18). Its role as the burial place for the founding family of Israel symbolizes the hope of resurrection and the enduring connection between the covenant people and the promised territory, anchoring their history and future hope in a specific, purchased location. In the ancient Near East, secure, hereditary burial grounds were crucial for family identity and honor. Abraham's insistence on purchasing the field outright, rather than accepting it as a gift (Genesis 23:3-20), secured permanent, legal ownership for his family in accordance with Hittite law, ensuring the site could never be reclaimed. This was a culturally significant act of establishing a permanent foothold. קֶבֶר (qeber, H6913) — A general term for 'grave' or 'tomb,' whereas מַכְפֵּלָה is the proper name for this specific, famed burial site.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]