Bible Dictionary
BOTTOM
The lowest part or base of something, including the bottom of the sea, a valley, a hollow, or the lower part of a structure. Biblical usage varies with the Hebrew word and context.
Definition
Bottom denotes the lowest part, base, hollow, extremity, or deepest portion of something. Depending on context, it may refer to the sea’s depth, the soil or pavement, the extremity of mountains, the lower part of a structure, a hollow, or a valley.
Biblical Usage
Scripture uses the term in descriptions such as the bottom of the sea, the bottoms of the mountains, the bottom of a golden structure, and a hollow or valley containing myrtle trees.
Historical Background
The English word represents several Hebrew terms with meanings including root, soil, extremity, railing, bosom, darkness, and valley. The wording therefore varies according to the object and context.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>bot'-um: Rendered by several Hebrew words:</p><p>(1) sheresh, "root"; Chaldaic, shoresh (Job 36:30, "the bottom of the sea").</p><p>(2) qarqa', "soil," "pavement of tesserae" (Am 9:3).</p><p>(3) qetsebh, "cutting," "chop," "extremity" (Jon 2:6, "the bottoms of the mountains").</p><p>(4) rephidhah, "railing," "couch" (So 3:10, "the bottom thereof of gold").</p><p>(5) cheq, "bosom," "lap" (Eze 43:13,14,17, the Revised Version, margin "hollow").</p><p>(6) metsullah, "to be dark," "shadowy place," from primitive root tsalal, "to tumble down," i.e. "settle"; hence, the idea of a valley ("the myrtle-trees that were in the bottom," Zec 1:8 the Revised Version, margin "shady place"). The prophet may have been wont to frequent the myrtle grove in the glen or bottoms, in the neighborhood of Jerusalem, for meditation and prayer (BTP, II, 283).</p><p>M. O. Evans</p>