ROCK MOUNTAIN
In Hebrew, the Bible distinguishes between rocks or rocks (tsur) and rock cliffs (se'la'). These two terms are used literally and figuratively in the Bible. Both appear in parallel in 2 Samuel 22: 2, 3 and Psalm 18: 2, "Jehovah is my rock cliff. . . My God is my rock. "
The Bible preserves the names of several rock cliffs and rocky mountains. For example, the Midian prince, Oreb, was killed by Gideon's men on a rock called Oreb, apparently so named for this incident. (Judges 7:25, Isa. 10:26) There is also the Cliff of Etam, where Samson lived for a time (Judges 15: 8), and a tooth-like cliff, Bozez and Sene, where Jonathan and his armor carrier attacked the outpost Philistine. (1 Sam 14: 4, 5) In Meribah, near Kadesh (there are other Meribas near Refidim in the mountainous area of Horeb [Ex 17: 7]), Moses and Aaron are made so annoyed that they neglect Jehovah as he drains water from rock cliffs for the people it.-Num 20: 11-13; Mz 106: 32, 33; see MASH; MERIBA No. 1 and 2.
As Figurative. Figuratively speaking, the "rock" depicts Jehovah's attributes as the Father of Israel (Deut 32:18), as a stronghold (2 Sam 22:32, 33; Isa. 17:10), as a secure high place and refuge for His people Mz 62: 7, 94:22), and as their salvation (Deut 32:15; Ps 95: 1). Some see the false gods as their "rocks". (Deut 32:37) There are other examples which show that the "rocky mountain" generally symbolizes a safe and sheltered place. (Isa 2:10, 19, 21) In Isaiah 8:14 Christ is called a "stone" that stood for the "two families of Israel." - cf. Matt. 21: 42-44.
In Jesus' parable of the sower, the Greek adjective tro'des (associated with pe'tros noun) is used to describe the rocky places upon which some seeds fall. (Matt 13: 3-5, 20) Pe'tros is used as the name of self, "Peter". (John 1:42) Concerning the meaning of this term, the Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (1981, Jil.4, p.776) commented, "Petros means a piece of stone, a rock or a separate large rock, in contrast to petra , a collection of stones. "Word Studies in the New Testament says of pe'tros," In classical Greek, the word means a stone, as in Homer, about Ajax throwing stones at Hector. . . or about Patroclus grasping and hiding a jagged stone in his hand. "- The work of M. Vincent, 1957, Jil. I, p. 91.
The Greek word tra · khys', which means "rough" (Lk 3: 5), relates to the jagged and uneven reefs of the reefs in Acts 27:29.
Another Greek word, spi · las', seems to mean rocks or reefs hidden under water. This word was used by Judas to describe certain men who had infiltrated the Christian congregation with depraved motives. Just as the hidden stones are a threat to the ships, these men are really dangerous to others in the congregation. He said of the men, "They are the stones hidden under water in the feasts of your love while they are partying with you." - Jude 12.