In biblical literature, the term "clefts" often refers to natural fissures or openings in rock formations, which serve as significant symbols and settings throughout Scripture. These clefts are frequently depicted as places of refuge, divine revelation, and spiritual significance.

Symbolism and Significance

Clefts in the Bible are often associated with safety and protection. They serve as natural shelters, providing refuge from danger or harsh elements. This symbolism is evident in several passages where individuals seek safety in the clefts of rocks.

Biblical References

1. Exodus 33:22: One of the most notable references to a cleft is found in the account of Moses on Mount Sinai. God tells Moses, "When My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by" . Here, the cleft serves as a place of divine protection and revelation, allowing Moses to experience God's presence without being overwhelmed by His glory.

2. Song of Solomon 2:14: The cleft is also used metaphorically in the Song of Solomon, where the beloved calls to his lover, "O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places of the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely" . This imagery conveys intimacy and the desire for closeness, suggesting that the cleft is a place of hidden beauty and cherished communication.

3. Isaiah 2:21: In a prophetic context, clefts are mentioned as places where people will seek refuge during the day of the Lord's judgment: "They will flee to caverns in the rocks and clefts in the cliffs, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth" . This passage underscores the cleft as a place of temporary safety amidst divine judgment.

4. Judges 15:8: The account of Samson also includes a reference to a cleft. After striking down the Philistines, Samson "went down and stayed in a cave in the rock of Etam" . The cleft here serves as a strategic retreat and a place of rest for the judge of Israel.

Theological Implications

Clefts in the Bible often symbolize God's provision and protection. They are places where individuals encounter God's presence, receive His protection, or find solace in times of distress. The imagery of the cleft as a place of refuge is a powerful reminder of God's care and the safety found in His presence.

Conclusion

While the Bible does not provide extensive details about the physical characteristics of clefts, their symbolic and theological significance is profound. They represent God's sheltering presence and the intimate encounters with the divine that occur in moments of vulnerability and need.2048. eremos -- solitary, desolate
... Here and there, in clefts and basins, and on the hillsides, grade on grade, you
observe a patch of corn, a clump of olives, a single palm' " (, 22).]. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2048.htm - 8k2288. chagavim -- places of concealment, retreats
... 2287, 2288. chagavim. 2289 . places of concealment, retreats. Transliteration:
chagavim Phonetic Spelling: (khag-awv') Short Definition: clefts. ...
/hebrew/2288.htm - 6k

5357. naqiq -- cleft (of a rock)
... 5356, 5357. naqiq. 5358 . cleft (of a rock). Transliteration: naqiq Phonetic
Spelling: (naw-keek') Short Definition: clefts. Word ...
/hebrew/5357.htm - 5k

5585. saiph -- a cleft, branch
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition a cleft, branch NASB Word Usage branches
(2), cleft (2), clefts (2). outmost branch, clift, top. ...
/hebrew/5585.htm - 6k

My Dove in the Clefts of the Rock, in the Hollow of the Wall, Show ...
... 14. My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollow of the wall, show me thy
countenance and let thy voice sound in mine ears; for sweet is thy voice, and thy ...
//christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/14 my dove in the.htm

A Gentle Heroine, a Gentile Convert
... the blackest times were not so dismal in reality as they look in history. There
are clefts in the grim rock, and flowers blooming, sheltered in the clefts. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/a gentle heroine a gentile.htm

Chapter ii.
... O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the secret of the stairs, Let me see thy
countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy ...
//christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/chapter ii.htm

Phoebe
... The clefts have closed, and the very line of demarcation is obliterated; and these
clefts were deeper than any of which we moderns have had experience. ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/phoebe.htm

The Wide Range of God's Grace
... You will see on the side of many a Cumberland hill a great stretch of limestone
with clefts a foot or two deep in it"there are flowers in the clefts, by the ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the wide range of gods.htm

Two Households
... And as for the third of the great clefts"that, alas! which made so much
of the tragedy and the wickedness of ancient life"viz. ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/two households.htm

The Great Mysteries in the Building of the Militant and Triumphant ...
... And the sixth mountain was quite full of clefts, some small and others large; and
the clefts were grassy, but the plants were not very vigorous, but rather, as ...
/.../the pastor books first second third/similitude ninth the great mysteries.htm

Song of Songs of Solomon
... 14. My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollow of the wall, show me thy
countenance and let thy voice sound in mine ears; for sweet is thy voice, and thy ...
//christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/

Strong Faith in a Faithful God
... DAVID was in the cave of Adullam. He had fled from Saul, his remorseless
foe; and had found shelter in the clefts of the rock. In ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 61 1915/strong faith in a faithful.htm

The Excellencies of the Saints' Rest.
... The Lord hide us in the clefts of the rock, and cover us with the hands
of indulgent grace, while we approach to take this view. ...
/.../baxter/the saints everlasting rest/chapter iii the excellencies of.htm

Clefts (10 Occurrences)
...Clefts (10 Occurrences). ... (See JPS WBS YLT). Song of Songs 2:14 My dove in the clefts
of the rock, In the hiding places of the mountainside, Let me see your face. ...
/c/clefts.htm - 9k

Rocks (48 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 2:21 To go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged
rocks, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty ...
/r/rocks.htm - 21k

Cleft (15 Occurrences)
... klift: The first of these words, from cleave, "to split," is a crevice or narrow
opening, as "of the ragged rocks" (Isaiah 2:21); "under the clefts of the rocks ...
/c/cleft.htm - 12k

Crevices (3 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 2:21 to go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged
rocks, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty ...
/c/crevices.htm - 7k

Cliff (11 Occurrences)
... klift: The first of these words, from cleave, "to split," is a crevice or narrow
opening, as "of the ragged rocks" (Isaiah 2:21); "under the clefts of the rocks ...
/c/cliff.htm - 10k

Coney (2 Occurrences)
... a tail. Its feet are not formed for digging, and therefore it has its home
not in burrows but in the clefts of the rocks. "Coney ...
/c/coney.htm - 12k

Dwellest (27 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 49:16 Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart,
O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of ...
/d/dwellest.htm - 14k

Arrogance (30 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 49:16 As for your terror, the pride of your heart has deceived you, O you
who dwell in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill: though ...
/a/arrogance.htm - 15k

Valleys (38 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 7:19 They shall come, and shall all rest in the desolate valleys, in the
clefts of the rocks, on all thorn hedges, and on all pastures. ...
/v/valleys.htm - 18k

Deceived (55 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 49:16 As for your terror, the pride of your heart has deceived you, O you
who dwell in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill: though ...
/d/deceived.htm - 23k

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