Bible Encyclopedias
Border; Borders

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

bōr´dẽr : 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 גּבוּל , gebhūl (and its feminine גּבוּלה , gebhūlāh , in Psalm 74:17 ) in numerous passages in Old Testament, especially in Josh. ירכה , yerēkhāh = "the flank," "the side," "the coast," hence, "the border" occurs in Genesis 49:13; קצה , ḳāceh = "an extremity" "brim," "brink," "edge" (Exodus 16:35; Exodus 19:12; Joshua 4:19 ); מסגּרת , miṣgereth = something enclosing, i.e. "a margin" (Exodus 37:12 , Exodus 37:14; 1 Kings 7:28 f, 31 f, 35 f the King James Version; 2 Kings 16:17 the King James Version); שׂפה , sāphāh or שפת , sepheth = "the lip" (as a natural boundary) hence, "a margin" "brim," "brink," "edge" (Exodus 28:26; Exodus 39:19 the King James Version); קץ , ḳēc = "an extremity" "end" (2 Kings 19:23 the King James Version); תּצאה , tōcā'āh = "exit," hence, "boundary" (1 Chronicles 5:16 ); תּור , tōr = "a succession" "a string" "row," hence, "border" (Song of Solomon 1:11 the King James Version); יד , yādh = "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 Chronicles 7:29 is not clear; better would be: "in the hands of the children of Manasseh." three Greek words occur for the idea: κράσπεδον , kráspedon = "a margin," "fringe" (Matthew 23:5; Mark 6:56; Luke 8:44 ); ὅριον , hórion = "a limit," "a boundary line" (Matthew 4:13 ); μεθόριος , methórios = "contiguous" (neuter plural as noun, "frontier," "border" in Mark 7:24 ).