Topical Encyclopedia
The concept of "extend" in the Bible often relates to the ideas of stretching out, enlarging, or prolonging. This term can be applied in various contexts, including God's promises, human actions, and spiritual growth.
Divine Promises and BlessingsIn the context of divine promises, the notion of extending is frequently associated with God's covenantal assurances to His people. For instance, in
Genesis 15:18, God makes a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates." Here, the promise of land is an extension of God's blessing, indicating a vast territory that would belong to Abram's descendants.
Similarly, in
Isaiah 54:2, the prophet encourages Israel to prepare for growth and blessing: "Enlarge the site of your tent, stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes." This passage metaphorically speaks of extending one's dwelling place in anticipation of God's abundant provision and the expansion of His people.
Human Actions and ResponsibilitiesThe Bible also uses the concept of extending in relation to human actions and responsibilities. In
Exodus 7:19, God commands Moses to extend his hand over the waters of Egypt to bring about the first plague: "And the LORD said to Moses, 'Tell Aaron, "Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over their rivers and canals, ponds and all their reservoirs—that they may become blood."'" Here, the act of extending the hand is a demonstration of obedience to God's command and a means through which His power is manifested.
In the New Testament, extending is seen in the context of charity and love. In
Acts 9:36, Tabitha (also known as Dorcas) is described as a woman "full of good works and acts of charity." Her life exemplifies the extension of kindness and generosity to those in need, reflecting the Christian call to love one's neighbor.
Spiritual Growth and InfluenceThe idea of extending is also pertinent to spiritual growth and influence. In
2 Corinthians 10:15-16, Paul speaks of the hope that the faith of the Corinthians will grow, allowing his ministry to be extended: "Our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you will greatly increase, so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you." Here, the extension of influence is tied to the growth of faith and the spread of the Gospel message.
Moreover, the extension of God's kingdom is a central theme in the teachings of Jesus. In the parable of the mustard seed (
Matthew 13:31-32), Jesus describes the kingdom of heaven as starting small but growing into a large tree, symbolizing the expansive and inclusive nature of God's reign.
ConclusionThe concept of "extend" in the Bible encompasses a range of meanings, from the physical act of stretching out one's hand to the spiritual expansion of God's kingdom. It highlights the dynamic nature of God's interaction with humanity, the responsibilities of believers, and the growth of faith and influence in the world.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) To stretch out; to prolong in space; to carry forward or continue in length; as, to extend a line in surveying; to extend a cord across the street.
2. (v. t.) To enlarge, as a surface or volume; to expand; to spread; to amplify; as, to extend metal plates by hammering or rolling them.
3. (v. t.) To enlarge; to widen; to carry out further; as, to extend the capacities, the sphere of usefulness, or commerce; to extend power or influence; to continue, as time; to lengthen; to prolong; as, to extend the time of payment or a season of trail.
4. (v. t.) To hold out or reach forth, as the arm or hand.
5. (v. t.) To bestow; to offer; to impart; to apply; as, to extend sympathy to the suffering.
6. (v. t.) To increase in quantity by weakening or adulterating additions; as, to extend liquors.
7. (v. t.) To value, as lands taken by a writ of extent in satisfaction of a debt; to assign by writ of extent.
Greek
3905. parateino -- toextend, prolong... to
extend, prolong. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: parateino Phonetic Spelling:
(par-at-i'-no) Short Definition: I
extend, prolong Definition: I
extend...1614. ekteino -- toextend
... toextend. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: ekteino Phonetic Spelling:
(ek-ti'-no) Short Definition: I stretch out, cast forth Definition: I stretch out...
1901. epekteino -- toextend, mid. to stretch forward
... toextend, mid.... 1901 (from 1909 , ", fitting" intensifying 1614 , "extend") -- properly,
(lay hold of) what is (note the force of the prefix, )....
1600. ekpetannumi -- more exceedingly
... ekpetannumi Phonetic Spelling: (ek-pet-an'-noo-mee) Short Definition: I spread or
stretch out Definition: I spread (stretch) out, expand,extend....
4385. proteino -- to stretch out
... proteino Phonetic Spelling: (prot-i'-no) Short Definition: I stretch out, tie up
Definition: I stretch out, tie up (for scourging),extend before....
2185. ephikneomai -- to arrive upon, ie to reach
... reach. From epi and a cognate of heko; to arrive upon, ieExtend to -- reach.
see GREEK epi. see GREEK heko. (ephikesthai) -- 1 Occurrence....
5479. chara -- joy, delight
... Cognate: 5479 (another feminine noun from the root -, "extend , lean towards, be
favorably disposed") -- properly, the awareness (of God's), ; ("grace...
2433. hilaskomai -- to be propitious, make propitiation for
... Cognate: 2433 (akin to 2434 , "propitiation, appeasement/satisfaction of divine
wrath on sin") -- properly, toextend , showing mercy by satisfying (literally...
5228. huper -- over, beyond, fig. on behalf of, for the sake of...
... above. 5228 (a preposition) -- properly, beyond (above); (figuratively)
toextend () that reaches beyond the present situation....
4401. procheirotoneo -- to appoint beforehand
... 4401 (from 4523 , "before" and 5500, "stretch out the hand") -- properly,
"extend the hand before" (used only in Ac 10:41). 4401...
Strong's Hebrew
5186. natah -- to stretch out, spread out,extend, incline, bend... 5185, 5186. natah. 5187 . to stretch out, spread out,
extend, incline, bend.
Transliteration: natah Phonetic Spelling: (naw-taw') Short Definition: stretched
...2946. taphach -- toextend, spread
... 2945, 2946. taphach. 2947 . toextend, spread. Transliteration: taphach Phonetic
Spelling: (taw-fakh') Short Definition: bore. Word Origin a prim....
3447. yashat -- toextend, hold out
... yashat. 3448 . toextend, hold out. Transliteration: yashat Phonetic Spelling:
(yaw-shat') Short Definition: extended.... A primitive root; toextend -- hold out....
8311. sara -- toextend
... 8310, 8311. sara. 8312 . toextend. Transliteration: sara Phonetic Spelling:
(saw-rah') Short Definition: deformed. Word Origin a prim....
4900. mashak -- to draw, drag
... 1), continue (1), deferred (1), delayed (2), deployed (1), drag (1), drag me away
(1), drags (1), draw (3), drawn (2), draws (1), drew (2),extend (1), follow...
8388. ta'ar -- probably to incline
... Taanath-shiloh A primitive root; to delineate; reflex. Toextend -- be drawn, mark
out, (Rimmon-)methoar (by union with Rimmown). see HEBREW Rimmown....
5628. sarach -- to go free, be unrestrained, overrun, exceed
... exceeding, hand, spread, stretch self, banish. A primitive root; toextend (even
to excess) -- exceeding, hand, spread, stretch self, banish. 5627, 5628....
4970. mathay -- when?
... From an unused root meaning toextend; properly, extent (of time); but used only
adverbially (especially with other particle prefixes), when (either relative...
4291. meta -- to reach, attain
... (Aramaic) or mtah (Aramaic) {met-aw'}; apparently corresponding to matsa' in the
intransitive sense of being found present; to arrive,extend or happen -- come...
7337. rachab -- to be or grow wide or large
... root Definition to be or grow wide or large NASB Word Usage enlarge (6), enlarged
(2), enlarges (3),extend (1), extends (1), large (1), made your wide (1...
Library
Whether the Degrees of AffinityExtend in the Same Way as the...
... OF THE IMPEDIMENT OF AFFINITY (ELEVEN ARTICLES) Whether the degrees of affinity
extend in the same way as the degrees of consanguinity?...
The Laws of Grace, whichExtend to all the Epochs of the Life of...
... Book XXI. Chapter 16."The Laws of Grace, WhichExtend to All the Epochs
of the Life of the Regenerate. But such is God's mercy...
How do Thine AffectionsExtend Like the Sunbeams unto all Stars in...
... THE FIRST CENTURY 87 O how do Thine affectionsextend like the sunbeams unto
all stars in heaven and to all the kingdoms in the world....
Of Methuselah's Age, which Seems toExtend Fourteen Years Beyond...
... Book XV. Chapter 11."Of Methuselah's Age, Which Seems toExtend Fourteen
Years Beyond the Deluge. From this discrepancy between...
The Error of Jovinianus did notExtend So Far.
... Book III. Chapter 13 [VII.]"The Error of Jovinianus Did NotExtend So Far.
A few years ago there lived at Rome one Jovinian, [678...
Moral Obligation.
... By this is intended, to what acts and states of mind does moral obligationextend?...
Moral obligation cannot, therefore, directlyextend to them....
That the Self-Existent Being must be All-Powerful.
... The only question is, what the true meaning of what we call infinite power is; and
to what things it must be understood toextend, or not toextend....
On the Discoveries of Faith
... small number of objects. Our senses of taste and smell (which some count
species of feeling)extend to fewer still. But on the other...
1 John iv. 16-Dec
... to a certain perfection, commends brotherly love; whereas the Lord saith it is not
enough that we love our brethren, but that we ought toextend that love so...
The Revocation of the Rulers.
... is due, nor pay regard to the God of the Christians, in consideration of our
philanthropy and our invariable custom, by which we are wont toextend pardon to...
Thesaurus
Extend (35 Occurrences)... 1. (vt) To stretch out; to prolong in space; to carry forward or continue in length;
as, to
extend a line in surveying; to
extend a cord across the street.
...Reach (63 Occurrences)
... 1. (vi) To retch. 2. (n.) An effort to vomit. 3. (vt) Toextend; to stretch; to
thrust out; to put forth, as a limb, a member, something held, or the like....
Stretch (73 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To reach out; toextend; to put forth. 2. (vt) To draw out to the full length;
to cause toextend in a straight line; as, to stretch a cord or rope....
Spread (257 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) Toextend in length and breadth, or in breadth only; to stretch or expand
to a broad or broader surface or extent; to open; to unfurl; as, to spread a...
Overrun (4 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To go beyond; toextend in part beyond; as, one line overruns another
in length. 5. (vt) To abuse or oppress, as if by treading upon....
Draw (212 Occurrences)
... 14. (vt) Toextend in length; to lengthen; to protract; to stretch; toextend,
as a mass of metal into wire. 15. (vt) To run,extend...
Extended (40 Occurrences)
... (imp. & pp) ofExtend. Multi-Version Concordance... (See NIV). Micah 7:11 A day to build
your walls- In that day, he willextend your boundary. (See NAS RSV)....
Widen (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To make wide or wider; toextend in breadth; to increase the width of;
as, to widen a field; to widen a breach; to widen a stocking....
Run (147 Occurrences)
... blood ran cold. 15. (v.) To proceed along a surface; toextend; to spread.
16. (v.) To become fluid; to melt; to fuse. 17. (v.) To...
Prolong (20 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (v.) Toextend in space or length; as, to
prolong life. 2. (v.) To lengthen in time; toextend the...
Resources
Since God withholds forgiveness, can we? | GotQuestions.orgWhat should be the response of a Christian whose spouse has had an affair? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is Christianization? | GotQuestions.orgExtend: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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