Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical terms, the concept of "reach" encompasses both the physical act of extending one's hand or influence and the metaphorical idea of striving towards spiritual goals or divine truths. The term is used in various contexts throughout Scripture, illustrating both human action and divine intervention.
Physical ReachThe physical act of reaching is often depicted in the Bible as a gesture of seeking help, offering assistance, or demonstrating authority. In
Exodus 7:19 , God commands Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt.'" Here, the act of reaching out with the staff signifies the execution of divine judgment upon Egypt. Similarly, in
1 Kings 17:21 , Elijah "stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the LORD," demonstrating a physical act of intercession and faith.
Spiritual ReachSpiritually, reaching is symbolic of the believer's pursuit of God and His righteousness.
Philippians 3:13-14 captures this idea: "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have laid hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus." Here, the Apostle Paul uses the metaphor of reaching to describe the Christian's journey towards spiritual maturity and eternal reward.
Divine ReachThe reach of God is portrayed as both protective and redemptive. In
Psalm 18:16 , David declares, "He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters." This imagery conveys God's intervention and deliverance in times of distress. Similarly,
Isaiah 59:1 reassures believers of God's ability to save: "Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear."
Moral and Ethical ReachThe Bible also speaks to the moral and ethical reach of individuals, particularly in terms of influence and impact.
Proverbs 31:20 describes the virtuous woman: "She opens her arms to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy." This passage highlights the importance of extending one's reach to care for others, embodying the love and compassion that God desires from His people.
ConclusionThe concept of reach in the Bible is multifaceted, encompassing physical actions, spiritual aspirations, divine interventions, and moral responsibilities. Whether it is God reaching out to humanity or individuals reaching towards God and others, the theme of reach underscores the dynamic relationship between the divine and the human, as well as the call to live out one's faith in tangible ways.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. i.) To retch.
2. (n.) An effort to vomit.
3. (v. t.) To extend; to stretch; to thrust out; to put forth, as a limb, a member, something held, or the like.
4. (v. t.) Hence, to deliver by stretching out a member, especially the hand; to give with the hand; to pass to another; to hand over; as, to reach one a book.
5. (v. t.) To attain or obtain by stretching forth the hand; to extend some part of the body, or something held by one, so as to touch, strike, grasp, or the like; as, to reach an object with the hand, or with a spear.
6. (v. t.) To strike, hit, or touch with a missile; as, to reach an object with an arrow, a bullet, or a shell.
7. (v. t.) Hence, to extend an action, effort, or influence to; to penetrate to; to pierce, or cut, as far as.
8. (v. t.) To extend to; to stretch out as far as; to touch by virtue of extent; as, his land reaches the river.
9. (v. t.) To arrive at; to come to; to get as far as.
10. (v. t.) To arrive at by effort of any kind; to attain to; to gain; to be advanced to.
11. (v. t.) To understand; to comprehend.
12. (v. t.) To overreach; to deceive.
13. (v. i.) To stretch out the hand.
14. (v. i.) To strain after something; to make efforts.
15. (v. i.) To extend in dimension, time, amount, action, influence, etc., so as to touch, attain to, or be equal to, something.
16. (v. i.) To sail on the wind, as from one point of tacking to another, or with the wind nearly abeam.
17. (n.) The act of stretching or extending; extension; power of reaching or touching with the person, or a limb, or something held or thrown; as, the fruit is beyond my reach; to be within reach of cannon shot.
18. (n.) The power of stretching out or extending action, influence, or the like; power of attainment or management; extent of force or capacity.
19. (n.) Extent; stretch; expanse; hence, application; influence; result; scope.
20. (n.) An extended portion of land or water; a stretch; a straight portion of a stream or river, as from one turn to another; a level stretch, as between locks in a canal; an arm of the sea extending up into the land.
21. (n.) An artifice to obtain an advantage.
22. (n.) The pole or rod which connects the hind axle with the forward bolster of a wagon.
Greek
2185. ephikneomai -- to arrive upon, ie toreach... to arrive upon, ie to
reach. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: ephikneomai Phonetic
Spelling: (ef-ik-neh'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I come to,
reach as far
...2658. katantao -- to come down to,reach
... to come down to,reach. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: katantao Phonetic
Spelling: (kat-an-tah'-o) Short Definition: I come down, arrive at,reach...
3713. orego -- to stretch out, toreach after, to yearn for
... to stretch out, toreach after, to yearn for. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration:
orego Phonetic Spelling: (or-eg'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I stretch forth...
1901. epekteino -- to extend, mid. to stretch forward
... 13. It refers to the believer toreach "" out from the realm of death given
to them at Christ's return. Word... 1).reach forth. Middle...
2425. hikanos -- sufficient, fit
... much. 2425 (an adjective, derived from the root, , "arrive, come to") --
"properly,reach to (attain); hence, " (J. Thayer). Word...
1271. dianoia -- the mind, disposition, thought
... which intensifies 3539 , "to use the mind," from 3563 , "mind") -- properly, movement
from one side (of an issue) to the other toreach -conclusions; full...
864. aphikneomai -- to arrive at
... to arrive at. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: aphikneomai Phonetic Spelling:
(af-ik-neh'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I arrive at,reach Definition: I...
190. akoloutheo -- to follow
... prefix) and keleuthos (a road, way) Definition to follow NASB Word Usage follow
(35), followed (36), following (17), follows (1). follow,reach....
187. akmazo -- to be at the prime
... to be at the prime. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: akmazo Phonetic Spelling:
(ak-mad'-zo) Short Definition: Ireach maturity, become ripe Definition: I...
3559. nouthesia -- admonition
... 3559 ("warning through teaching") so they canreach solution -- ie by going
through . See 3560 (). [Ro 12:1-3 likewise emphasizes...
Strong's Hebrew
5381. nasag -- toreach, overtake... 5380, 5381. nasag. 5382 . to
reach, overtake. Transliteration: nasag Phonetic
Spelling: (naw-sag') Short Definition: overtake. Word Origin a prim.
...5060. naga -- to touch,reach, strike
... 5059, 5060. naga. 5061 . to touch,reach, strike. Transliteration: naga Phonetic
Spelling: (naw-gah') Short Definition: touches. Word Origin a prim....
7382.reach -- a smell
... 7381b, 7382.reach. 7383 . a smell. Transliteration:reach Phonetic Spelling:
(ray'-akh) Short Definition: smell.... 7381b, 7382.reach. 7383 . Strong's Numbers
6642. tsabat -- toreach, hold out
... 6641, 6642. tsabat. 6643 . toreach, hold out. Transliteration: tsabat Phonetic
Spelling: (tsaw-bat') Short Definition: served. Word Origin a prim....reach....
4291. meta -- toreach, attain
... 4290, 4291. meta or metah. 4292 . toreach, attain. Transliteration: meta or
metah Phonetic Spelling: (met-aw') Short Definition: reached.... come,reach....
7381b.reach -- scent, odor
... 7381a, 7381b.reach. 7382 . scent, odor. Transliteration:reach Short Definition:
aroma.... 7381a, 7381b.reach. 7382 . Strong's Numbers.
6293. paga -- to meet, encounter,reach
... 6292, 6293. paga. 6294 . to meet, encounter,reach. Transliteration: paga Phonetic
Spelling: (paw-gah') Short Definition: fall. Word Origin a prim....
4229. machah -- to wipe, wipe out
... abolish, blot out, destroy, full of marrow, put out,reach unto, utterly,
wipe away, A primitive root; properly, to stroke or rub...
4229b. machah -- to strike
... machah. 4229c . to strike. Transliteration: machah Short Definition:reach. Word
Origin a prim. root Definition to strike NASB Word Usagereach (1)....
1272. barach -- to go through, flee
... chase away; drive away, fain, flee away, put to flight, make haste,reach,
run away, shoot. A primitive root; to bolt, ie Figuratively...
Library
Called toReach a Higher Standard
... Lesson 30 Called toReach a Higher Standard.... Every movement must be certain, every
step swift and unswerving; the physical powers mustreach the highest mark....
No Man Therefore CanReach God with his Love...
... Address 17: No man therefore canreach God with his love? No man therefore
canreach God with his love, or have union with him...
Whether in the Present State of Life the Contemplative Life Can...
... OF THE CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether in the present state of life
the contemplative life canreach to the vision of the Divine essence?...
If that which it Has Pleased us to Know is WithinReach...
... Book II. 59 If that which it has pleased us to know is withinreach? If
that which it has pleased us to know is withinreach, and...
We must Consider the Fact, which Comes First, and So in Order...
... 12. We must consider the fact, which comes first, and so in orderreach
the inference, which comes after. Now I find among many...
Whether among the Demons, Inferior to the Gods, There are any Good...
... Chapter 2."Whether Among the Demons, Inferior to the Gods, There are Any Good Spirits
Under Whose Guardianship the Human Soul MightReach True Blessedness....
Our Forefathers have Handed Down to us the Tradition, That, after...
... might speak diverse languages, so that no race however foreign, no tongue however
barbarous, might be inaccessible to them and beyond theirreach, they were...
John Chapter xiii. 31-32.
... coming to a knowledge of the truth;" [1223] but rather as the preacher saith, "When
a man hath finished, then he beginneth;" [1224] till wereach that life...
Psalm LXXV.
... In order that we mayreach all exalted objects, we raise ourselves, and if we are
not able toreach them, we look for some appliances or ladders, in order that...
The Realization of Selfless Love
... Toreach this Love, to understand and experience it, one must work with great
persistency and diligence upon his heart and mind, must ever renew his patience...
Thesaurus
Reach (63 Occurrences)... 4. (vt) Hence, to deliver by stretching out a member, especially the hand; to give
with the hand; to pass to another; to hand over; as, to
reach one a book.
...Attain (30 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To achieve or accomplish, that is, toreach by efforts; to gain; to compass;
as, to attain rest.... 6. (vt) Toreach in excellence or degree; to equal....
Stretch (73 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) Toreach out; to extend; to put forth.... 15. (n.)
Thereach or extent of a vessel's progress on one tack; a tack or board. 16....
Smell (77 Occurrences)
... smel (Hebrew and Aramaicreach, as noun, "savor," "scent"; ruach, as verb, literally,
"to breathe," "to inhale," thence "to smell"; osme, the "smell," "savor...
Hit (11 Occurrences)
... 3. (imp. & pp) of Hit. 4. (vt) Toreach with a stroke or blow; to strike or touch,
usually with force; especially, toreach or touch (an object aimed at)....
Fetch (45 Occurrences)
... fetch a sigh. 6. (vt) To bring or get withinreach by going; toreach;
to arrive at; to attain; toreach by sailing. 7. (vt) To...
Arrive (20 Occurrences)
... In present usage: To come in progress by water, or by traveling on land; toreach
by water or by land; -- followed by at (formerly sometimes by to), also by in...
Reaching (22 Occurrences)
... n.) ofReach.... Exodus 28:42 And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover the flesh
of their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shallreach....
Extend (35 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To hold out orreach forth, as the arm or hand. 5. (vt) To bestow; to offer;
to impart; to apply; as, to extend sympathy to the suffering....
Vintage (14 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 26:5 Your threshing shallreach to the vintage, and the vintage shall
reach to the sowing time; and you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell...
Resources
I am a former Catholic. Should I continue to go to Catholic Church so I can reach people for Christ? | GotQuestions.orgDo we ever reach a point that we cannot be forgiven (Nahum 3:19)? | GotQuestions.orgWhat sort of outreach ministries should a church have? | GotQuestions.orgReach: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus