mearah Summary and Overview

a cave, a place in the northern boundary of Israel (Josh. 13:4). This may be the cave of Jezzin in Lebanon, 10 miles east of Sidon, on the Damascus road; or probably, as others think, Mogheirizeh, NE of Sidon.

(a cave), a place named in #Jos 13:4| only. The word means in Hebrew a cave, and it is commonly assumed that the reference is to some remarkable cavern in the neighborhood of Zidon.

MEA'RAH (a cave, cavern). In Josh 13:4 this word occurs as the name of a cave not far from Sidon; the margin reads, "the cave." Robinson, in his journey from Tyre to Sidon, observed many sepulchral grottoes hewn out of the hard limestone rock. This may be the spot spoken of by William of Tyre as the Tyrian cave in the territory of Sidon; Keil makes Mearah "the cave of Jezzin," east of Sidon, in Lebanon, a hiding-place of the Druses now; Ritter refers it to a district of deep caves like the ravines near Sidon and Dan.

("cave".) Joshua 13:4. A town "beside (rather "belonging to") the Sidonians, which Israel failed to take possession of. Keil makes Mearah "the cave of Jezzin," E. of Sidon, in the steep of Lebanon, a hiding place of the Druses at the present time. But then one would expect the to precede. Reland suggests Meroth, the limit of Galilee on the W. (Josephus Ant. 2:20, section 6; 3:3, section 1.)