CISTERN
Artificial pond dug in earth or stone to collect and store water from rain or a spring (Prov. 5:15; Jer. 2:13).
In the East, the long dry season (from May to September) forces them to store water in this way, and the calcareous soil of Israel facilitates its manufacture.
When the cisterns were dry they served as prisons (Gen. 37:22; Jer. 38:6). Cisterns, tanks or wells served for the comfort of travelers (Ps. 84:6).
The abandoned cisterns were left broken, serving as a symbol of earthly pleasures (Jer. 2:13). They were sometimes used, lightly covered and provided with bait, to catch unsuspecting animals (Ps. 119:85; Pr. 22:14; Ezek. 19:4).
The same expression translated “grave” in several passages means the world of the dead or Hades, as well as the prison of evil spirits (Ps. 28:1; Rev. 21:1; Luke 8:31).