The meaning of Plain in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)
plan ((1) kikkar, "circle" "talent," or "round loaf"; (2) mishor, from yashar, "to be level"; compare Arabic maisur, "that which is easy"; (3) biqah; compare Arabic baq'at, "a plot of ground" or "a wet meadow"; (4) 'arabhah; (5) shephelah; (6) topos pedinos (Luke 6:17); (7) 'elon; compare elah, and 'allon "oak" (Genesis 35:4, Genesis 35:8, etc.); also 'elah, "Elah" (I Samuel 17:2); (8) 'abhel):
See NATURAL FEATURES.
(1) Kikkar, when meaning "plain" usually refers to the alluvial plain about Jericho near the north end of the Dead Sea: "Plain (the Revised Version margin "circle") of the Jordan" (Genesis 13:10-11; I Kings 7:46; II Chronicles 4:17); "Plain of the valley of Jericho" (Deuteronomy 34:3); "cities of the Plain" (Genesis 13:12; Genesis 19:29); "all the Plain" (Genesis 19:17, Genesis 19:25); "by the way of the Plain" (II Samuel 18:23); but "the plain round about Jerusalem" (Nehemiah 12:28).
See CICCAR; CIRCLE.
(2) Mishor, English Versions of the Bible "plain," the Revised Version margin usually "table-land," clearly refers in most places to the highlands of Gilead and Moab, East of the Jordan and the Dead Sea; e.g. Joshua 13:9, "the plain (the Revised Version margin "table-land") of Medeba."
(3) Biq'ah is more often translated "valley" (which see).
(4) 'Arabhah is in the Revised Version (British and American) often translated "the Arabah," denoting the whole Jordan-Dead-Sea-Arabah depression = Arabic Ghaur (Ghor). In Deuteronomy 11:30, the King James Version has "champaign" (which see). The "plains of Moab" (Numbers 22:1; Numbers 26:3, Numbers 26:13; Numbers 31:12; Numbers 33:48-50; Numbers 35:1; Numbers 36:13; Deuteronomy 34:1, Deuteronomy 34:8; Joshua 13:32) and "plains of Jericho" (Joshua 4:13; Joshua 5:10; II Kings 25:5; Jeremiah 39:5; Jeremiah 52:8) are the low plain or ghaur North of the Dead Sea. 'Arabhah is here equivalent to kikkar (see above). Note the distinction between mishor used of the highlands, and kikkar and 'arabhah used of the ghaur.
See ARABAH.
(5) Shephelah is by the Revised Version (British and American) throughout translated "lowland" (which see), and includes the western slopes of the Judean hills and the maritime plain.
(6) Topos pedinos occurs only in Luke 6:17.
(7) 'Elon is translated "plain" in the King James Version: "plain of Moreh" (Genesis 12:6; Deuteronomy 11:30); "plain (or plains) of Mamre" (Genesis 13:18; Genesis 14:13; Genesis 18:1); "plain of Zaanaim" (Judges 4:11); "plain of the pillar" (Judges 9:6); "plain of Meonenim" (Judges 9:37); "plain of Tabor" (I Samuel 10:3). the Revised Version (British and American) has throughout "oak," the Revised Version margin "terebinth"; compare "oak" (Genesis 35:4, Genesis 35:8, etc.) and "vale of Elah" (I Samuel 17:2, I Samuel 17:19; I Samuel 21:9).
(8) ['Abhel keramim] (Judges 11:33) is in the King James Version "the plain of the vineyards," the Revised Version (British and American) "Abel-cheramim," the Revised Version margin "the meadow of vineyards." Elsewhere in English Versions of the Bible 'abhel is "Abel" or "Abel."
See ABEL-CHERAMIM; MEADOW.
Alfred Ely Day
See more on the meaning of Plain in the Bible:
Plain {Easton's Bible Dictionary}
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