Sepulchre

A sepulchre (Latin sepulcrum) is a burial place, typically a cave, rock-cut chamber, or constructed tomb. Ancient Israelite burial practice favored rock-cut family tombs — chambers entered through a shaft or low doorway, with shelves or niches (loculi) for successive burials. The cave of Machpelah, purchased by Abraham at Hebron (Gen. 23:9–20), became the family burial place of the patriarchs. The tombs of the kings of Judah in Jerusalem (2 Chr. 21:20) and the "sepulchre of his father David" (Acts 2:29) were significant landmarks. Jesus was buried in a new rock-cut tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea (Matt. 27:60; John 19:41–42), sealed with a large stone. The empty tomb became the physical evidence of the resurrection (Matt. 28:6; John 20:1–10). Jesus condemned the scribes' practice of building elaborate tombs for the prophets while rejecting their message (Matt. 23:27, 29).