Topical Encyclopedia
A precipice, in biblical terms, refers to a steep or overhanging place, often symbolizing danger, judgment, or a pivotal moment of decision. The concept of a precipice is not frequently mentioned explicitly in the Bible, but the imagery and symbolism associated with it are present in various narratives and teachings.
Biblical References and Symbolism1.
Luke 4:29 · One of the most direct references to a precipice in the Bible is found in the account of Jesus' rejection at Nazareth. After Jesus proclaimed the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy in the synagogue, the people were filled with wrath. "They got up, drove Him out of the town, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw Him down the cliff" . This event highlights the hostility Jesus faced and the precipice as a place of intended harm, yet it also underscores His divine protection as He passed through the crowd unharmed.
2.
Symbol of Judgment and Decision · The imagery of a precipice can symbolize the brink of judgment or a critical decision point. In the Old Testament, the Israelites often found themselves at spiritual precipices, where they had to choose between obedience to God or idolatry and rebellion. The consequences of their choices often led to blessings or curses, as outlined in
Deuteronomy 28.
3.
Metaphorical Use · While not always explicitly mentioned, the concept of a precipice can be seen metaphorically in the teachings of Jesus and the prophets. For instance, Jesus' parable of the wise and foolish builders (
Matthew 7:24-27) illustrates the importance of a solid foundation, akin to avoiding the peril of a spiritual precipice by building one's life on His teachings.
4.
Moral and Spiritual Implications · The precipice serves as a powerful metaphor for the moral and spiritual decisions individuals face. The Bible frequently calls believers to stand firm in their faith and avoid the spiritual precipices of sin and temptation. Passages such as
1 Corinthians 10:12, "So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall" , remind Christians of the vigilance required to avoid falling from grace.
5.
Prophetic Imagery · In prophetic literature, the precipice can symbolize impending doom or the nearness of divine intervention. The prophets often warned of the consequences of Israel's disobedience, portraying the nation as standing on the edge of a precipice, facing exile or destruction if they did not repent.
Theological InsightsFrom a theological perspective, the concept of a precipice underscores the themes of divine protection, human responsibility, and the consequences of moral choices. It serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the need for faithfulness in the face of trials and temptations. The precipice, whether literal or metaphorical, calls believers to trust in God's guidance and to remain steadfast in their commitment to His will.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
n.) A steep, perpendicular, or overhanging place; a cliff.
Greek
2630. katakremnizo -- to throw over aprecipice... to throw over a
precipice. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: katakremnizo Phonetic
Spelling: (kat-ak-rame-nid'-zo) Short Definition: I cast down headlong
...2911. kremnos -- a steep bank
... a steep bank. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: kremnos Phonetic
Spelling: (krame-nos') Short Definition: a crag,precipice Definition: a crag...
3790. ophrus -- an eyebrow
... optanomai (through the idea of the shading or proximity to the organ of vision);
the eye-"brow" or forehead, ie (figuratively) the brink of aprecipice -- brow...
Strong's Hebrew
1327. battah -- aprecipice... 1326, 1327. battah. 1328 . a
precipice. Transliteration: battah Phonetic
Spelling: (bat-taw') Short Definition: steep. Word Origin
...4136. mul -- front, in front of
... Or mowl (Deuteronomy 1:1) {mole}; or mowtl (Nehemiah 12:38) {mole}; or mul (Numbers
22:5) {mool}; from muwl; properly, abrupt, ie Aprecipice; by implication...
4051. Migron -- an area near Gibeah, also a place North of...
... Migron. From magar;precipice; Migron, a place in Palestine -- Migron. see HEBREW
magar. 4050, 4051. Migron. 4052 . Strong's Numbers.
Library
A Father's Mistake.
... No response! Then going to aprecipice at some distance, he looked down, and there,
upon the rocks and briars, he saw the mangled form of his loved child....
The Gadarene Demoniac. --Christ's Treatment of Him after the Cure....
... It is certain, at any rate, that they did cast themselves over theprecipice into
the sea, as if driven by an invisible power, and that many of them perished....
When Diamond Got Round the Corner of the Hay...
... There was just one great, jagged, black and gray cloud in the sky, with a steep
side to it like aprecipice; and the moon was against this side, and looked as...
Hiring a Coachman
... to choose. Finally he hit upon this scheme. There was a road near his house
that ran along the edge of aprecipice. The man asked...
Petilianus Said: "Here You have the Fullest Possible Proof that a...
... Withhold not then your pardon, if our ancestors were unable to restrain the men
by whom you complain that Marculus was thrown down aprecipice; for neither is...
Celsus, Moreover, Thinks that we have Invented this "Tree of Life"...
... give an allegorical meaning to the cross; and in consequence of his error upon this
point, he adds: "If he had happened to be cast down aprecipice, or shoved...
After Finishing the Foregoing, and those Analogous Matters which...
... because, I imagine, their teacher was nailed to a cross, and was a carpenter by
craft; so that if he had chanced to have been cast from aprecipice, or thrust...
On God and his Perfections
... Now while one of these men is hanging over the fearfulprecipice, his life
is entirely in the hands of those holding the rope above....
Essay i. Fortuna Plerumque Est Veluti Galaxia Quarundam Obscurarum...
... sight of a narrow bridge, over which they had ridden, the night before, in perfect
safety; or at tracing the footmarks along the edge of aprecipice which the...
How St Francis Converted Certain Robbers and Assassins, who Became...
... No sooner had he laid down his head than he was rapt in spirit and led up into a
very high mountain, on the side of which was a deepprecipice bordered with...
Thesaurus
Precipice (3 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) A steep, perpendicular, or overhanging place;
a cliff. Multi-Version Concordance
Precipice (3 Occurrences).
...Kenath (2 Occurrences)
... eski Sham, the Bostra of the Romans, on both sides of Wady Kanawat, where, descending
from the slopes of Jebel ed-Druze, it plunges over aprecipice, forming a...
Nazareth (29 Occurrences)
... his public ministry in the synagogue (Matthew 13:54), at which the people were so
offended that they sought to cast him down from theprecipice whereon their...
Jericho (59 Occurrences)
... The wall is not far from the foot of the greatprecipice of Quarantania and its
numerous caverns, and the spies of Joshua could easily have fled from the city...
Ladder (1 Occurrence)
... of armies, or even caravans, since the approach is precipitous on either side, and
at Ras el-`Abyadh the road skirts the edge of a sheerprecipice, where a...
Gerar (10 Occurrences)
... Jurf means usually "steep declivity," or "precipice," and at the place mentioned
many fragments of pottery were found, but this does not necessarily indicate...
Gezer (14 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Aprecipice, an ancient royal Canaanitish city
(Joshua 10:33; 12:12). It was allotted with its suburbs...
Golgotha (4 Occurrences)
... The skull-like appearance of the rock in the southernprecipice of the hillock is
very remarkable. Noah Webster's Dictionary. (n.) Calvary. Int....
Torrent (49 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A violent stream, as of water, lava, or the like;
a stream suddenly raised and running rapidly, as down aprecipice....
Roll (57 Occurrences)
... unevenly; the snow rolls well. 14. (vi) To fall or tumble; -- with over;
as, a stream rolls over aprecipice. 15. (vi) To perform a...
Resources
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