Borders

BORDER; BORDERS [ISBE]

BORDER; BORDERS - 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 Ps 74:17) in numerous passages in Old Testament, especially in Josh. yerekhdh = "the flank," "the side," "the coast," hence, "the border" occurs in Gen 49:13; qatseh = "an extremity" "brim," "brink," "edge" (Ex 16:35; 19:12; Josh 4:19); micgereth = something enclosing, i.e. "a margin" (Ex 37:12,14; 1 Ki 7:28 f,31 f,35 f the King James Version; 2 Ki 16:17 the King James Version); saphah or sepheth = "the lip" (as a natural boundary) hence, "a margin" "brim," "brink," "edge" (Ex 28:26; 39:19 the King James Version); qets = "an extremity" "end" (2 Ki 19:23 the King James Version); totsa'ah = "exit," hence, "boundary" (1 Ch 5:16); tor = "a succession" "a string" "row," hence, "border" (Song 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 1 Ch 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" (Mt 23:5; Mk 6:56; Lk 8:44); horion = "a limit," "a boundary line" (Mt 4:13); methorios = "contiguous" (neuter plural as noun, "frontier," "border" in Mk 7:24).

Frank E. Hirsch