Tomb

[Special]

A tomb is a place of burial for the remains of the dead. This is usually either a small building, with walls, a roof, and (if it is to be used for more than one corpse) a door; or a burial vault, partly or wholly in the ground (except for its entrance). They may be located in a cemetery or, in a Christian context, inside a church proper, or in its crypt. Single tombs may be permanently sealed. Those for families (or other groups) have doors or slab entrances for access whenever needed. Monuments within churches or tomb-style chests in churchyards do not usually contain the actual body and should not be referred to as 'tombs'.

Tombs in the Bible

This entry incorporates text from the public domain Easton's Bible Dictionary, originally published in 1897.

Tombs - of the Hebrews were generally excavated in the solid rock, or were natural caves. Mention is made of such tombs in Judges. 8:32; 2 Samuel. 2:32; 2 Kings 9:28; 23:30. They were sometimes made in gardens (2 Kings 21:26; 23:16; Matthew 27:60). They are found in great numbers in and around Jerusalem and all over the land. They were sometimes whitewashed (Matt. 23:27, 29). The body of Jesus was laid in Joseph of Arimathea's new rock-hewn tomb, in a garden near to Calvary perhaps the site of the Holy Sepulchre. The mouth of such rocky tombs was usually closed by a large stone (Heb. golal), which could only be removed by the united efforts of several men (Matt. 28:2; comp. John 11:39). (See Golgotha, Sepulchre.)

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Tomb

See also

Tombs in the Bible