The meaning of Border; Borders in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

bor'-der: Indicating in both singular and plural the outlines or territory of a country. In the sense of "limits," "boundaries" or "territory," it occurs as a translation of gebhul (and its feminine gebhulah, in Psalms 74:17) in numerous passages in Old Testament, especially in Josh. yerekhdh = "the flank," "the side," "the coast," hence, "the border" occurs in Genesis 49:13; qatseh = "an extremity" "brim," "brink," "edge" (Exodus 16:35; Exodus 19:12; Joshua 4:19); micgereth = something enclosing, i.e. "a margin" (Exodus 37:12, Exodus 37:14; I Kings 7:28 f., I Kings 7:31 f., I Kings 7:35 f. the King James Version; II Kings 16:17 the King James Version); saphah or sepheth = "the lip" (as a natural boundary) hence, "a margin" "brim," "brink," "edge" (Exodus 28:26; Exodus 39:19 the King James Version); qets = "an extremity" "end" (II Kings 19:23 the King James Version); totsa'ah = "exit," hence, "boundary" (I Chronicles 5:16); tor = "a succession" "a string" "row," hence, "border" (Song of Solomon 1:11 the King James Version); yadh = "hand," used in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, proximate and remote; but how it should be translated with "border" in I Chronicles 7:29 is not clear; better would be: "in the hands of the children of Manasseh." Three Greek words occur for the idea: kraspedon = "a margin," "fringe" (Matthew 23:5; Mark 6:56; Luke 8:44); horion = "a limit," "a boundary line" (Matthew 4:13); methorios = "contiguous" (neuter plural as noun, "frontier," "border" in Mark 7:24).

Frank E. Hirsch

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