Visitors at the Cave of Coffins, Beit She'arim National Park, Israel

A sepulchre, or sepulcher, is a type of tomb or burial chamber. In ancient Hebrew practice, sepulchres were often carved into the rock of a hillside.

The word is sometimes confused with "sepulture", the act of burying a dead person.

Referring from the Easton's Bible Dictionary, 'Sepulchre' is first mentioned as having been purchased by Abraham for Sarah from Ephron the Hittite (Gen. 23:20). This was the "cave of the field of Machpelah", where Abraham and Rebekah and Jacob and Leah were also buried (79:29-32). In Acts 7:16 it is said that Jacob was "laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money^[1] of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem." ^[2]

Tombs of the Hebrews were generally excavated in the solid rock or were natural caves. Mention is made of such tombs in Judges 8:32; 2 Samuel 2:32; and 2 Kings 9:28; 23:30. They were sometimes made in gardens (2 Kings 21:26; 23:16; Matthew 27:60). They are found in great numbers in and around Jerusalem and all over the land. They were sometimes whitewashed (Matthew 23:27, 29). The body of Jesus was laid in Joseph of Arimathea's new rock-hewn tomb^[3], in a garden near to Calvary perhaps the site of the Holy Sepulchre. The mouth of such rocky tombs was usually closed by a large stone (Hebrew golal), which could only be removed by the united efforts of several men (Matthew 28:2; Mark 16:3; John 11:39)

In common law countries, sepulcher also refers to the legal right of a next of kin to control and dispose of a deceased's body.

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This article incorporates text from Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897), a publication now in the public domain.