מַכְפֵּלָה
𐤌𐤊𐤐𐤋𐤄
Makhepelah
H4375 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun referring to a specific site, 'Machpelah,' most notably the cave or field near Hebron which is repeatedly described as the burial place of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob. The primary meaning denotes 'the double' or 'the doubled portion,' conveying the idea of something being folded, doubled, or paired. Semantic range includes both the actual place name and potential reference to its physical or functional characteristics, such as a cave divided into sections or a field with notable features.
Semantic Range
Machpelah (place name); doubled, double cave, folded portion (as traditional etymology); proper noun designating a burial cave near Hebron
Root / Etymology
From the root כָּפַל (k-p-l), meaning 'to double, make double, fold.' The form מַכְפֵּלָה is a feminine noun, probably indicating 'the double' or 'the doubled thing/portion.' It came to serve as a toponym (place name) for the site near Hebron, derived either from a notable topographical feature (such as a double cave) or as a traditional name designating the site.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Makpêlâh appears exclusively as a place name in Genesis (23:9, 17, 19; 25:9; 49:30; 50:13), always designating the burial site near Hebron purchased by Abraham for his family. The rationale for the name is not clearly stated in the biblical text. Later Jewish interpretation connects the name to the physical 'doubling' of the cave, suggesting a two-chamber structure, but this is not explicit in the biblical narrative. English translations like 'Machpelah' reproduce the Hebrew form as a proper noun; the sense of 'double' or 'folded' is not otherwise reflected in narrative or translation, and the word does not refer to broader concepts of folding or doubling outside this toponymic context. In the biblical narrative, Machpelah is prominent for its association with patriarchal lineage and land tenure rites. In post-biblical tradition, Machpelah became the object of ongoing reverence, though these traditions belong to later interpretive history and are not embedded in the text of the Hebrew Bible itself.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from כָּפַל; a fold; Makpelah, a place in Palestine; Machpelah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כפל (k-p-l) — to double, to fold, to make double
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4375-02 |
הַ/מַּכְפֵּלָה֙ | hamakhepelah | HTd/Np |
of Machpelah | the Double | 5 |
H4375-01 |
בַּ/מַּכְפֵּלָ֔ה | bamakhepelah | HRd/Np |
in Machpelah | in the Double-portion | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4375-02 |
Genesis 23:9 | הַ/מַּכְפֵּלָה֙ | hamakhepelah | HTd/Np |
of Machpelah | the Double |
H4375-01 |
Genesis 23:17 | בַּ/מַּכְפֵּלָ֔ה | bamakhepelah | HRd/Np |
in Machpelah | in the Double-portion |
H4375-02 |
Genesis 23:19 | הַ/מַּכְפֵּלָ֛ה | hamakhepelah | HTd/Np |
Machpelah | the Double |
H4375-02 |
Genesis 25:9 | הַ/מַּכְפֵּלָ֑ה | hamakhepelah | HTd/Np |
of Machpelah | the Double |
H4375-02 |
Genesis 49:30 | הַ/מַּכְפֵּלָ֛ה | hamakhepelah | HTd/Np |
of Machpelah | the Double |
H4375-02 |
Genesis 50:13 | הַ/מַּכְפֵּלָ֑ה | hamakhepelah | HTd/Np |
of Machpelah | the Double |