### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **qeber**, represented by `{{H6913}}`, defines a **burying place**, **grave**, or **sepulchre**. Appearing 67 times across 62 unique verses in the Bible, it is derived from the verb `{{H6912}}` **qâbar**, meaning to inter or bury. This term designates a specific, physical location for the dead.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical narratives, `{{H6913}}` is central to the concept of familial and ancestral connection. Individuals often expressed a desire to be buried in the sepulchre of their father, as seen with Ahithophel [[2 Samuel 17:23]] and Gideon [[Judges 8:32]]. The term also signifies a purchased and owned piece of land, establishing a permanent claim, as when Abraham secured a **buryingplace** from the sons of Heth ([[Genesis 23:4]], [[Genesis 23:20]]). Figuratively, an open **sepulchre** is used to describe a deceitful throat [[Psalms 5:9]] or a warrior's quiver [[Jeremiah 5:16]]. Furthermore, God uses the imagery of opening graves to prophesy the restoration of His people Israel [[Ezekiel 37:12]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the context of burial and death:
* `{{H6912}}` **qâbar** (to bury): As the root verb, it denotes the action that results in a **qeber**. It is used when Abraham seeks a place to **bury** his dead [[Genesis 23:4]] and when Jacob commands his son to **bury** him in Canaan [[Genesis 50:5]].
* `{{H4191}}` **mûwth** (to die): This verb describes the state that precedes burial. Touching one who is **dead** results in the same uncleanness as touching a grave [[Numbers 19:18]].
* `{{H4194}}` **mâveth** (death): This noun represents the state of the deceased. Isaiah describes a grave being made with the rich "in his **death**" [[Isaiah 53:9]].
* `{{H953}}` **bôwr** (pit): Often used to describe a pit or dungeon, it is sometimes used in parallel with the grave. A wicked king is described as being cast out of his grave and going down to the stones of the **pit** [[Isaiah 14:19]].
* `{{H1430}}` **gâdîysh** (tomb): This word, also meaning a stack of sheaves, is used poetically to signify a **tomb**. One who comes to the grave in full age is compared to a shock of corn, and the righteous man is brought to the grave and shall remain in the **tomb** ([[Job 5:26]], [[Job 21:32]]).
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H6913}}` is multifaceted, touching on ritual purity, divine judgment, and eschatological hope.
* **Ritual Purity:** The grave was a source of ceremonial uncleanness. Anyone who touched a **grave**, a bone, or a dead body was considered unclean for seven days and required purification ([[Numbers 19:16]], [[Numbers 19:18]]).
* **Divine Judgment and Desecration:** The grave could be a place of judgment. God promises to make the grave of the vile [[Nahum 1:14]], and King Josiah desecrated the **graves** of idolaters by strowing dust from their idols upon them [[2 Chronicles 34:4]]. To be cast out of one's grave was a sign of great dishonor [[Isaiah 14:19]].
* **Promise of Restoration:** God's promise to open the **graves** of His people and bring them back to the land of Israel serves as a powerful metaphor for national revival and restoration from a state of lifelessness [[Ezekiel 37:12-13]].
* **A Place of Peace for the Righteous:** For the faithful, the grave is portrayed as a place of peaceful rest. God promised King Josiah he would be gathered into his **grave** in peace, spared from seeing the coming evil [[2 Kings 22:20]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6913}}` **qeber** is a term rich with meaning beyond a simple burial site. It is a cornerstone of familial identity, a symbol of permanent land possession within the covenant, and a focal point for laws of ritual purity. The grave serves as a stage for divine judgment against the wicked, but also as a place of peaceful gathering for the righteous. Ultimately, its imagery is used to convey both the corrupting nature of sin, like an open sepulchre, and the ultimate power of God to bring life and restoration from the depths of the **graves**.
TRV