Bible Encyclopedias
Broad

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

brôd ( רחב , rōḥabh , "width"; רחב , reḥōbh , "a broadway," "street," "court"; ἐυρύχωρος , eurúchōros , "spacious"): Occurs frequently as a term of dimension (Exodus 27:1; 1 Kings 6:6; Ezekiel 40:6 , Ezekiel 40:43 the Revised Version (British and American), "handbreadth long") and as indicative of strength ( Nehemiah 3:8; Jeremiah 51:58 ). The centers of communal life are called the "broad places," often rendered "streets" (Jeremiah 5:1; Song of Solomon 3:2; Nahum 2:4 ). A court before the temple: "the broad place on the east" (the King James Version "the east street," 2 Chronicles 29:4 ); "broad plates" (Numbers 16:38 , Numbers 16:39 , the Revised Version (British and American) "beaten").

Figurative: Relief from distress: "Yea, he would have allured thee out of (Hebrew "the mouth of") distress into a broad place" ( Job 36:16 ); the liberty of obedience or liberty within the law (Psalm 119:96 , "broad," "roomy," "at liberty"); the all-sufficiency of God for His people (Isaiah 33:21 ). Jerusalem could not boast of a river or navy - Y ahweh's presence with and within her would more than supply these deficiencies; the road to destruction: "Broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction" (Matthew 7:13 ); the ostentatious piety of the Pharisees: "They make broad (πλατύνω , platúnō , "widen") their phylacteries" (Matthew 23:5 ). See CITY; GATE .

Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Broad'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​isb/​b/broad.html. 1915.