the Fourth Week of Advent
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!
Bible Encyclopedias
Compass; Compasses
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
"Compasses" is the Revised Version (British and American) for "compass," מהוּגה ,
The verb "to compass" occurs frequently in the senses of "to surround" and "to go round about," e.g. Genesis 2:11 , "which compasseth the whole land of Havilah," Deuteronomy 2:1 , "We compassed (went around) mount Seir many days"; in Jeremiah 31:22 we have "A new thing on the earth: a woman shall compass a man," the Revised Version (British and American) "encompass"; possibly as a suitor; but more probably as a protector. In those happy days, the protection of women (under God, Jeremiah 31:28 ) will be sufficient, while the men are at their work; "to encompass" ("The cords of death compassed me" Psalm 18:4; "the waves of death," 2 Samuel 22:5 ). "To gird" (Isaiah 50:11 the Revised Version (British and American)); "to lie around," "to be laid around" ( Hebrews 5:2 , "compassed with infirmity" (clothed with it); Hebrews 12:1 , "compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses").
In Apocrypha we have "compassed about with yawning darkness" (The Wisdom of Solomon 19:17); "compassed the circuit of heaven" (Ecclesiasticus 24:5); "compassed with pomegranates of gold" (Ecclesiasticus 45:9); "The rainbow compasseth the heaven" (Ecclesiasticus 43:12); the course of the sun (1 Esdras 4:34).
These files are public domain and were generously provided by the folks at WordSearch Software.
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Compass; Compasses'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​isb/​c/compass-compasses.html. 1915.