Mine

Mine - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

The process of mining is described in Job 28:1-11. Moses speaks of the mineral wealth of Palestine (Deut. 8:9). Job 28:4 is rightly thus rendered in the Revised Version, "He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; they are forgotten of the foot [that passeth by]; they hang afar from men, they swing to and fro." These words illustrate ancient mining operations.

Mine - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

MINE, a. called sometimes a pronominal adj. [L. meus.]

My; belonging to me. It was formerly used before nouns beginning with vowels. ""I kept myself from mine iniquity."" Psa 18. But this use is no longer retained. We now use my before a vowel as well as before an articulation; as my iniquity. In present usage, my always precedes the noun, and mine follows the noun, and usually the verb; as, this is my book; this book is mine; it is called my book; the book is called mine: it is acknowledged to be mine.

Mine sometimes supplies the place of a noun. Your sword and mine are different in construction.

MINE, n.

1. A pit or excavation in the earth, from which metallic ores, mineral substances and other fossil bodies are taken by digging. The pits from which stones only are taken, are called quarries.

2. In the military art, a subterraneous canal or passage dug under the wall or rampart of a fortification, where a quantity of power may be lodged for blowing up the works.

3. A rich source of wealth or other good.

MINE, v.i. To dig a mine or pit in the earth.

1. To form a subterraneous canal or hole by scratching; to form a burrow or lodge in the earth, as animals; as the mining coney.

2. To practice secret means in injury.

MINE, v.t. To sap; to undermine; to dig away or otherwise remove the substratum or foundation; hence, to ruin or destroy by slow degrees or secret means.

They mined the walls.

In a metaphorical sense, undermine is generally used.

min, min'-ing: In Job 28:1-11 we have the only Biblical reference to mines. The writer very likely derived his information either from personal observation or from a description by an eyewitness, of the mining operations of Sinai (see METALS). No traces of ancient mines have yet been found in Palestine and Syria. What metals were taken out came from the superficial strata. The mines of Upper Egypt have already been mentioned. Burton and other travelers in Northern Arabia and the Red Sea country have found there evidences of ancient mining operations.

The usual Egyptian method of mining was to follow the vein from the surface as far as it was practicable with tools corresponding to our pick and hoe, hammer and chisel. The shafts frequently extended into the ground a distance of 180 to 200 ft. The rock when too hard to be dug out was first cracked by having fires built on it. The metal-bearing stone was carried in baskets to the surface, where the crushing and separating took place. The mining operations were performed by an army of slaves who were kept at their work day and night, driven with the lash until they died, when their places were taken by others.

See METALS; CRAFTS, II, 10.

James A. Patch