Prophets, Tombs of The

Prophets, Tombs Of The.

"The excavations commonly known under this name," Professor Robinson observes," are situated on the western declivity of the Mount of Olives, a little south of the footpath leading over from St. Stephen's gate to Bethany. Pococke describes them as 'very large, having many cells to deposit bodies in; the farther end of them they call the Labyrinth, which extends a great way; I could not find the end of it;' this part seems to have been a quarry. Doiibdan compares them with the tombs of the judges and kings; but says the chambers are not square, as in these, but consist of two large and high galleries, cut strictly one within the other in a continued curve; the holes or niches for the bodies being on a level with the floor" (Bibl. Res. 1, 529; comp. Latter Res. p. 233). See De Saullcy, Dead Sea, ii, 107; Williams, Holy City, 2, 215. SEE OLIVET. It is ordinarily supposed (but with no good reason) that it is of these tombs our Lord speaks when he says: "Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them" (Lu 11:47). SEE TOMB.