the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Dictionaries
Pit
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament
or PIT (βόθυνος, φρέαρ).—In the Gospels βόθυνος is used only of a place into which animals or men might stumble by accident (Matthew 12:11), or in consequence of blindness (Matthew 15:14, Luke 6:39, Authorized Version ‘ditch,’ but Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 ‘pit’). This might mean any opening or hollow dug in the ground. In Luke 14:5 || Matthew 12:11, however, φρέαρ is used, so that here we should, perhaps, understand ‘pit’ as an empty cistern, or artificial well. These are seldom covered in the East or guarded in any way. In the neighbourhood of towns and villages, especially those that have fallen on decay, they are often the cause of serious accidents to unwary pedestrians. In the Apocalypse φρέαρ appears as the bottomless abode of ‘the beast’ and his unholy hosts (Revelation 9:1; Revelation 17:8 etc.).
W. Ewing.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Pit'. Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdn/p/pit.html. 1906-1918.
