Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, fences served both practical and symbolic purposes, often representing protection, separation, and boundary. The concept of a fence is woven throughout Scripture, illustrating both physical and spiritual truths.
Physical FencesFences in the ancient Near East were primarily constructed to protect property, livestock, and crops. They were typically made from stones, wood, or thorny bushes. In the agrarian society of ancient Israel, fences were essential for safeguarding vineyards and fields from animals and thieves. The prophet Isaiah references such protective measures: "My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it up and cleared the stones and planted the finest vines. He built a watchtower in the middle of it and carved out a winepress as well" (
Isaiah 5:1-2). This passage highlights the care and effort invested in protecting valuable resources.
Symbolic FencesFences also carry a symbolic meaning in Scripture, often representing God's protection and the boundaries He sets for His people. In the book of Job, Satan acknowledges God's protective "hedge" around Job: "Have You not placed a hedge on every side around him and his household and all that he owns?" (
Job 1:10). This divine fence signifies God's safeguarding presence and blessing over Job's life.
Moreover, fences can symbolize the separation between the holy and the profane. In Ezekiel's vision of the new temple, a wall separates the sacred space from the common: "He measured the wall surrounding the temple complex; it was one rod thick and one rod high" (
Ezekiel 40:5). This wall serves as a boundary, demarcating the holiness of God's dwelling place.
Moral and Spiritual BoundariesThe concept of a fence extends to moral and spiritual boundaries, as seen in the laws and commandments given to Israel. These divine instructions act as fences, guiding the Israelites in righteous living and keeping them from sin.
Psalm 119:9-11 reflects this idea: "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word. I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You."
New Testament PerspectiveIn the New Testament, the metaphor of a fence or wall is used to describe the division between Jews and Gentiles, which Christ came to abolish.
Ephesians 2:14 states, "For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility." Here, the "dividing wall" represents the separation that existed under the Old Covenant, which Jesus dismantled through His sacrificial death, creating unity among believers.
ConclusionThroughout the Bible, fences serve as powerful symbols of protection, separation, and divine boundaries. They remind believers of God's provision, the importance of holiness, and the unity found in Christ.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
(Hebrews gader),
Numbers 22:24 (R.V.). Fences were constructions of unmortared stones, to protect gardens, vineyards, sheepfolds, etc. From various causes they were apt to bulge out and fall (
Psalm 62:3). In
Psalm 80:12, R.V. (see Isaiah 5:5), the psalmist says, "Why hast thou broken down her fences?" Serpents delight to lurk in the crevices of such fences (
Ecclesiastes 10:8; Comp.
Amos 5:19).
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) That which fends off attack or danger; a defense; a protection; a cover; security; shield.
2. (n.) An enclosure about a field or other space, or about any object; especially, an inclosing structure of wood, iron, or other material, intended to prevent intrusion from without or straying from within.
3. (n.) A projection on the bolt, which passes through the tumbler gates in locking and unlocking.
4. (n.) Self-defense by the use of the sword; the art and practice of fencing and sword play; hence, skill in debate and repartee. See Fencing.
5. (n.) A receiver of stolen goods, or a place where they are received.
6. (v. t.) To fend off danger from; to give security to; to protect; to guard.
7. (v. t.) To enclose with a fence or other protection; to secure by an enclosure.
8. (v. i.) To make a defense; to guard one's self of anything, as against an attack; to give protection or security, as by a fence.
9. (v. i.) To practice the art of attack and defense with the sword or with the foil, esp. with the small sword, using the point only.
10. (v. i.) Hence, to fight or dispute in the manner of fencers, that is, by thrusting, guarding, parrying, etc.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
FENCEfens (batsar, mibhtsar):
Commonly used in the King James Version in the description of fortified places, as the translation of batsar, "to cut off," "to separate," "to fortify" (and forms) (Deuteronomy 3:5;Deuteronomy 9:1;Deuteronomy 28:52, etc.); mibhtsar, "fenced city," is a fortified place (Numbers 32:17, 36Joshua 10:20;Joshua 19:35, etc.); matsor, "fenced cities," means "bulwark," "citadel" (2 Chronicles 8:5); metsurah, "fortification" (2 Chronicles 11:23;2 Chronicles 12:4;2 Chronicles 14:6; 21:3); for "fenced" the American Standard Revised Version substitutes "fortified" in all these instances; inDaniel 11:15, mibhtsar is "a well-fortified city," margin "the fortified cities," the English Revised Version "well-fenced"; "fence" is also the translation of gadher, "a wall" or "fence" (Job 19:8 the American Standard Revised Version, "walled up" (gadhar);Psalm 62:3); `azaq, "to loosen" (the ground) as with a mattock (Isaiah 5:2, where the King James Version has "fenced" it (the vineyard), the American Standard Revised Version "digged it," the English Revised Version "made a trench about it," it" margin "digged it" sukh, "to interweave" or "interlace" (Job 10:11, the Revised Version (British and American) "clothed"); male', "to be or become full" (2 Samuel 23:7, the Revised Version (British and American) "armed," margin "Hebrew filled").
ERV has "fence" for "wall" (Numbers 22:24Isaiah 5:5Hosea 2:6; the American Standard Revised Version retains "wall"), for "hedge" (Ecclesiastes 10:8Ezekiel 13:5;Ezekiel 22:30; the American Standard Revised Version "wall"); "fenced" for "walled" (Numbers 13:28Deuteronomy 1:28; the American Standard Revised Version "fortified"); compare for "strong"Joshua 19:29Nehemiah 9:25Psalm 108:10 (marginJoshua 19:29, "the city of Mibzar-zor, that is, the fortress of Tyre," the English Revised Version, "fenced"), for "hedged" (Lamentations 3:7, American Revised Version, "walled"); compare for "defenced," the English Revised Version "fenced," the American Standard Revised Version "fortified" (Isaiah 36:1;Isaiah 37:26, etc.); "fences" for "hedges" (Psalm 80:12, the American Standard Revised Version "walls"); inJeremiah 49:3, the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version have "fences."
See alsoHEDGE.
W. L. Walker
Greek
5418. phragmos -- a fencing in, afence... a fencing in, a
fence. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: phragmos
Phonetic Spelling: (frag-mos') Short Definition: a hedge,
fence, partition
...5420. phrasso -- tofence in, to stop
... tofence in, to stop. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: phrasso Phonetic Spelling:
(fras'-so) Short Definition: I stop, close up Definition: I stop, close up...
4717. stauroo -- tofence with stakes, to crucify
... tofence with stakes, to crucify. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: stauroo
Phonetic Spelling: (stow-ro'-o) Short Definition: I crucify Definition: I fix to...
3727. horkos -- an oath
... Word Origin akin to erkos (fence, enclosure) Definition an oath NASB Word
Usage oath (7), oaths (2), vows (1). oath. From herkos...
Strong's Hebrew
5473. sug -- tofence about... 5472, 5473. sug. 5474 . to
fence about. Transliteration: sug Phonetic
Spelling: (soog) Short Definition:
fence. Word Origin a prim.
...7753. suk -- to hedge orfence up or about
... suk. 7754 . to hedge orfence up or about. Transliteration: suk Phonetic Spelling:
(sook) Short Definition: hedge. Word Origin a prim....fence, make an hedge up....
5480b. suk -- to hedge orfence about, shut in
... 5480a, 5480b. suk. 5481 . to hedge orfence about, shut in. Transliteration:
suk Short Definition: enclosed. Word Origin a prim....
1447. gader -- a wall
... wall. Word Origin from gadar Definition a wall NASB Word Usagefence (1),
hedges (1), wall (11), walls (1).fence, hedge, wall. From...
5823. azaq -- to dig about
... root Definition to dig about NASB Word Usage dug it all around (1).fence about.
A primitive root; to grub over --fence about. 5822, 5823. azaq. 5824 ....
1443. gadar -- to wall up or off, to build a wall
... close up,fence up, hedge, enclose, make up a wall, mason, repairer. A
primitive root; to wall in or around -- close up,fence up...
5526. cakak -- to overshadow, screen, cover
... 33:22) {saw-kak'}; a primitive root; properly, to entwine as a screen; by implication,
tofence in, cover over, (figuratively) protect -- cover, defence, defend...
2691. chatser -- enclosure, court
... court, tower, village (masculine and feminine); from chatsar in its original sense;
a yard (as inclosed by afence); also a hamlet (as similarly surrounded...
2838. chashuq -- a fillet or ring
... fillet. Or chashuwq {khaw-shook'}; past participle of chashaq; attached, ie A
fence-rail or rod connecting the posts or pillars -- fillet. see HEBREW chashaq....
Library
The BrokenFence
... The BrokenFence.... Come then, let us take a walk with Solomon and stand with him and
consider and learn instruction while we look at this broken-downfence....
AFence of Trust.
... Worry: A Hindrance to Service. (Psalm xxxvii:1-11; Matthew vi:19-34,
Philippians iv:6-7. American Revision.) AFence of Trust. It...
The Man Sent Ahead.
... The Tragic Break in the Plan The Man Sent Ahead. A highfence of silence
shuts out from view the after years. Just one chink of...
Chel. The Court of the Women.
... The same also did Chel, or the Ante-murale. "That space was ten cubits broad, divided
from the Court of the Gentiles by afence, ten hand-breadths high; in...
Chapter twenty-seven
... "Get behind thefence! We haven't half searched him yet!... He sat down on a board that
projected from the brokenfence. "You must like our company....
Jesus Answers Ruth's Prayer
... She started up thefence which she thought led home, but she took the wrongfence
and it led out into a large pasture where there were deep canyons, bad cattle...
The Witness of Balaam to Israel
... way. Then the angel of the LORD stood in a hollow way between the vineyards,
afence being on this side, and afence on that side....
The Terror by Night
... Then he heard the bushes moving and twigs crackling under the feet of some animal
the other side of the lane-fence. He thought of the wildcat....
February the Ninth the Rock and the Bowing Wall
... He is also "as a totteringfence." The wind and the rain dislodge thefence, it
rots at its foundations, and one day it lies prone upon the ground....
Simplified Spelling.
... Through these comes the ripening fruit. And the outer crowd comes eagerly
for the fruit hanging over thefence within easy reach....
Thesaurus
Fence (12 Occurrences)... 7. (vt) To enclose with a
fence or other protection; to secure by an enclosure.
8. (vi
... etc. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
FENCE. fens
...Thorn-fence (1 Occurrence)
Thorn-fence. Thorn-bushes, Thorn-fence. Thorn-hedge . Multi-Version
Concordance Thorn-fence (1 Occurrence). Micah 7:4...
Hedge (12 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A thicket of bushes, usually thorn bushes; especially, such a thicket planted
as afence between any two portions of land; and also any sort of...
Wall (227 Occurrences)
... 20). (seeFENCE.). Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1. (n.) A kind of knot often
used at the end of a rope; a wall knot; a wale. 2. (n.) A...
Pale (16 Occurrences)
... fencing or inclosing; a picket. 7. (n.) That which encloses or fences in;
a boundary; a limit; afence; a palisade. 8. (n.) A space or...
Sides (170 Occurrences)
... (WEB NIV). Numbers 22:24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a hollow way between
the vineyards, afence being on this side, and afence on that side. (See NIV)...
Alphabet (2 Occurrences)
... 2) beth = house (tent); (3) gimel = camel; (4) daleth = door; (5) he = house; (6)
waw = nail (Evans, tent peg); (7) zayin = weapon; (8) cheth =fence; (9) Teth...
Yoke (79 Occurrences)
... milkmaid's yoke. 4. (n.) A frame worn on the neck of an animal, as a cow,
a pig, a goose, to prevent passage through afence. 5. (n...
Vat (7 Occurrences)
... Mark 12:1 And he began to say to them in parables, A man planted a vineyard, and
made afence round it and dug a wine-vat, and built a tower, and let it out to...
Vault (2 Occurrences)
... 8. (vi) To leap over; esp., to leap over by aid of the hands or a pole; as, to vault
afence. 9. (n.) To leap; to bound; to jump; to spring. 10....
Resources
What is the difference between envy and jealousy, biblically speaking? | GotQuestions.orgCan a person believe in some sense but not be saved? | GotQuestions.orgWhy is eating dairy products and meat in the same meal considered not kosher? | GotQuestions.orgFence: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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