Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical terms, the concept of "assign" often relates to the allocation or designation of roles, responsibilities, or territories by divine or human authority. This term is significant in understanding how God and leaders within the biblical narrative distribute duties and lands among His people.
Old Testament Context1.
Tribal Allotments: One of the most prominent uses of "assign" in the Old Testament is in the context of the division of the Promised Land among the tribes of Israel. In the Book of Joshua, God commands the land to be divided by lot among the tribes, with specific portions assigned to each tribe.
Joshua 13:7 states, "Now therefore divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh." This assignment was seen as a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham and his descendants.
2.
Priestly Duties: The assignment of duties within the Levitical priesthood is another critical aspect. In
Numbers 4, specific tasks are assigned to different clans within the tribe of Levi. For example, the Kohathites were assigned the responsibility of carrying the most sacred objects of the tabernacle (
Numbers 4:4-15).
3.
Judicial and Leadership Roles: Moses, under God's guidance, assigned leaders over the people to help judge and manage the community. In
Exodus 18:25-26, it is recorded, "Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. They judged the people at all times."
New Testament Context1.
Spiritual Gifts and Roles: In the New Testament, the concept of assignment is often related to spiritual gifts and roles within the Church. The Apostle Paul speaks of different roles assigned by God for the edification of the Church. In
1 Corinthians 12:28, Paul writes, "And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues."
2.
Parables of Stewardship: Jesus' parables frequently illustrate the concept of assignment, particularly in terms of stewardship and responsibility. In the Parable of the Talents (
Matthew 25:14-30), servants are assigned different amounts of money to manage, symbolizing the responsibilities God assigns to individuals according to their abilities.
3.
Apostolic Missions: The Great Commission (
Matthew 28:19-20) is a direct assignment from Jesus to His disciples to spread the Gospel to all nations. This mission underscores the responsibility given to believers to carry out God's work on earth.
Theological ImplicationsThe concept of assignment in the Bible underscores the sovereignty of God in designating roles and responsibilities. It reflects the order and purpose within God's creation and His plan for humanity. Assignments are not arbitrary but are given with intention and for the fulfillment of God's will. Believers are called to faithfully execute their assigned roles, whether in spiritual, communal, or personal contexts, as a form of obedience and service to God.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) To appoint; to allot; to apportion; to make over.
2. (v. t.) To fix, specify, select, or designate; to point out authoritatively or exactly; as, to assign a limit; to assign counsel for a prisoner; to assign a day for trial.
3. (v. t.) To transfer, or make over to another, esp. to transfer to, and vest in, certain persons, called assignees, for the benefit of creditors.
4. (n.) A thing pertaining or belonging to something else; an appurtenance.
5. (n.) A person to whom property or an interest is transferred; as, a deed to a man and his heirs and assigns.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
ASSIGNa-sin (nathan, "to give," or "grant," i.e. apportion): Used (Joshua 20:8) of Moses setting apart Bezer as one of the three cities of refuge on the East of the Jordan (compareDeuteronomy 4:41-43); also of Joab's stationing Uriah in a place of mortal peril in battle (2 Samuel 11:16).
Greek
2820. kleroo -- toassign by lot... to
assign by lot. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: kleroo Phonetic Spelling:
(klay-ro'-o) Short Definition: I make a heritage Definition: I cast lots
...632. aponemo -- toassign, apportion
... toassign, apportion. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: aponemo Phonetic Spelling:
(ap-on-em'-o) Short Definition: I apportion, render as due Definition: I...
5021. tasso -- to draw up in order, arrange
... to draw up in order, arrange. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: tasso Phonetic
Spelling: (tas'-so) Short Definition: Iassign, arrange Definition: (a) I...
2816. kleronomeo -- to inherit
... Cognate: 2816 (from 2818 , "a specific allotment of inheritance, apportioned by
casting lots") -- properly, toassign inheritance (inherit) by ....
4345. proskleroo -- to allot to
... to allot to. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: proskleroo Phonetic Spelling:
(pros-klay-ro'-o) Short Definition: Iassign by lot, allot Definition: Iassign...
3053. logismos -- a reasoning, a thought
... 3053 (from 3049 , "to reckon") -- properly, "bottom-line" reasoning that reflects
someone's values, ie how theyassign in determining what ....
2624. katakleronomeo -- to distribute by lot
... 2624 (from 2596 , ", according to" and , "assign by lot," derived from 2819 , "lot") --
properly, to arrive at (get to) God's will, through the prayerful (only...
1244. diaireo -- to divide, to distribute
... asunder, distribute. Cognate: 1244 -- properly, (assign), by the of a superior;
to divide (distribute). See 1243 (). Word Origin...
5097. timoreo -- to punish, avenge
... 5097 (from 5092 , "perceived worth" and , "a guardian") -- to act as guardian with
the authority to also mete out (literally,assign retribution) -- as it...
5087. tithemi -- to place, lay, set
... root the- Definition to place, lay, set NASB Word Usage appointed (6),assign (2),
committed (1), conceived (1), destined (1), down* (4), falling (1), fixed (1...
Strong's Hebrew
5596. saphach -- to join, attach to... saphach or saphach. 5597 . to join, attach to. Transliteration: saphach or saphach
Phonetic Spelling: (saw-fakh') Short Definition:
assign. Word Origin a prim
...5414. nathan -- to give, put, set
... add, apply, appoint, ascribe,assign, avenge, be healed, bestow,. A primitive
root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application...
6485. paqad -- to attend to, visit, muster, appoint
... appoint NASB Word Usage am indeed concerned (1), any reason (1), any reason he is
missing (1), appoint (12), appointed (19), appoints (1),assign (3), assigned...
7760. sum -- to put, place, set
... root Definition to put, place, set NASB Word Usage appoint (9), appointed (9),assign
(1), assigned (2), attached (1), bestowed (1), bring (1), brought (1...
Library
Whether it is Possible toAssign a Distinct Division of the...
... OF THE JUDICIAL PRECEPTS (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether it is possible toassign
a distinct division of the judicial precepts? Objection...
What Say You, O Men, whoAssign to Yourselves Too Much of an...
... Book II. 25 What say you, O men, whoassign to yourselves too much of an
excellence not? What say you, O men, whoassign to yourselves...
Secondly, toAssign Some Reasons Why Christians must Make this the...
... Secondly, Toassign some reasons why Christians must make this the great
business of their lives. The importance and necessity of...
But, Says My Opponent, it is not for this Reason that weAssign...
... Book VI. 4 But, says my opponent, it is not for this reason that weassign
temples to? But, says my opponent, it is not for this...
"He is the Head, and we be his Members. " "Therefore Our Father...
... POINTS IN THE FOREGOING FOURTEEN REVELATIONS CHAPTER LI "He is the Head, and we
be His members." "Therefore our Father nor may nor will more blameassign to us...
Whether the Appetite is a Special Power of the Soul?
... Therefore, with regard to this object which is the desirable in general, we should
notassign some particular power distinct from the others, called the...
Whether Lifeless Faith is a Gift of God?
... Since, therefore, when weassign the cause of a thing, we intend toassign the cause
of that thing as existing in its proper species, it follows that what is...
Whether the Interior Senses are Suitably Distinguished?
... Objection 2: Further, there is no need toassign an interior power of
apprehension when the proper and exterior sense suffices....
Sundry Quotations from Hermogenes Now Uncertain and Vague are his...
... But when youassign locality to good and evil, you make them corporeal by making
them local, since those things which have local space must needs first have...
The Absurd Doctrine of Abaelard, who Attributes Properly and...
... Let him choose which alternative he will: either let him give Wisdom to the Son
and take It from the Father, orassign It to the Father and deny It to the Son...
Thesaurus
Assign (22 Occurrences)... 2. (vt) To fix, specify, select, or designate; to point out authoritatively or exactly;
as, to
assign a limit; to
assign counsel for a prisoner; to
assign a
...Appoint (114 Occurrences)
... prescribe; to fix the time and place of. 3. (vt) Toassign, designate, or
set apart by authority. 4. (vt) To furnish in all points; to...
Set (6715 Occurrences)
... singing. 20. (vt) To determine; to appoint; toassign; to fix; as, to set
a time for a meeting; to set a price on a horse. 21. (vt...
Heavens (548 Occurrences)
... Isaiah is the prophet with whom the idea first occurs in explicit form, and that
in passages which many critics wouldassign to the post-exilic period (the so...
Earth (10501 Occurrences)
... Isaiah is the prophet with whom the idea first occurs in explicit form, and that
in passages which many critics wouldassign to the post-exilic period (the so...
Assigned (64 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) ofAssign. Multi-Version Concordance
Assigned (64 Occurrences). Mark 13:34 "It is like a man...
Zimri (16 Occurrences)
... Baal-peor. Criticsassign 25:1-5 to JE, 25:6-18 to P. It seems, however,
that the two accounts refer to similar circumstances. This...
Number (2370 Occurrences)
... 11. (n.) To reckon as one of a collection or multitude. 12. (n.) To give or apply
a number or numbers to; toassign the place of in a series by order of number...
Nazirite (10 Occurrences)
... The criticsassign the section dealing with this matter (Numbers 6:1-21) to the
Priestly Code (P), and give it a late date, but there cannot be the least doubt...
Utmost (21 Occurrences)
... Matthew 24:51 he will treat him with the utmost severity andassign him a place
among the hypocrites: there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth....
Resources
What is structuralism? | GotQuestions.orgWhy did Jesus mention the tower of Siloam in Luke 13:4? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is anti-natalism? | GotQuestions.orgAssign: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
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