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מְאוּרָה

𐤌𐤀𐤅𐤓𐤄

mᵉʼûwrâh

H3975 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אור to be light, shine, become bright, be kindled

Definition

Den, hole, or lair—especially as the habitation of a wild animal such as a serpent. The term refers to a physical space or cavity in the ground or rock, most often one that serves as a shelter or hiding place. In most biblical attestations, it refers specifically to a snake's or serpent's lair, but could be used more broadly for other creatures that dwell in concealed underground or rock cavities.

Semantic Range

aperture, opening, crevice, den, lair, hole (especially of a serpent or wild animal)

Root / Etymology

Root: אוּר (ʾ-w-r), from which develops the sense 'to be lighted, to be kindled.' While the core root meaning is related to light or flame, the noun מְאוּרָה functions as a substantive for a place that has been 'made bright'—interpreted here as an opening or exposed cavity (aperture) in the ground or rock, where light enters (in contrast to solid earth). This figurative extension leads to the meaning of dens or lairs as spaces where animals reside, typically with some visible entrance (an aperture or crevice).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the biblical narrative, מְאוּרָה occurs infrequently (e.g., Isaiah 11:8, Isaiah 59:5, Jeremiah 16:16) and is usually associated with creatures that inhabit holes or dens in the earth, particularly serpents and adders. The association with serpents derives from context: these animals were commonly understood to dwell in holes or crevices in the ground. English translations often render the word as 'den' or 'hole,' but it specifically refers to the natural lair or hollow, rather than a constructed or intentionally excavated animal dwelling. The meaning remains consistent through the biblical periods—patriarchal, monarchic, and post-exilic—without notable semantic shift, remaining closely tied to wild animal habitation. It is distinct from terms such as מְעוֹנָה (dwelling, lair), which have broader or more general senses (including human habitation), whereas מְאוּרָה is more specific for animal holes, especially for serpents. English versions sometimes translate this term as 'hole' or 'den,' but may obscure its more specific connotation of a naturally occurring cavity as an animal's lair. Post-biblical Hebrew rarely employs this term, and its use in later Jewish literature is minimal.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine passive participle of אוֹר; something lighted, i.e. an aperture; by implication, a crevice or hole (of a serpent); den.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אור (ʾ-w-r) — to be light, shine, become bright, be kindled

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1160 בְּעוֹר light of
H215 אוֹר Cause to shine
H216 אוֹר in your light
H217 אוּר in the fire
H218 אוּר in Ur

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3975-01 מְאוּרַ֣ת meurat HNcfsc den lair of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3975-01 Isaiah 11:8 מְאוּרַ֣ת meurat HNcfsc den lair of
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