Bible Dictionaries
Landmark

Holman Bible Dictionary

A pillar or heap of stones serving as a boundary marker (Genesis 31:51-52 ). Some Babylonian and Egyptian examples are elaborately carved. Many ancient law codes (Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman) prohibited the removal of a landmark (Deuteronomy 19:14; compare Deuteronomy 27:17; Proverbs 22:28 ). In Job 24:2 , removal of a marker parallels theft. Proverbs 23:10 warns against removing markers to rob orphans. Hosea 5:10 condemns the ruthless rulers of Judah as like those who remove landmarks, that is, those who have no regard for justice or for the traditional law. Moving the landmark meant changing the traditional land allotments (compare Joshua 13-19 ) and cheating a poor landowner of what little land he owned.