Topical Encyclopedia
The term "situated" refers to the placement or positioning of a person, object, or event within a specific context or location. In the biblical narrative, the concept of being situated often carries significant theological and symbolic meaning, reflecting God's providence, purpose, and the unfolding of His divine plan.
Geographical ContextsThroughout the Bible, geographical locations are often described with precision, underscoring their importance in the narrative. For instance, the land of Canaan is frequently mentioned as the land promised to Abraham and his descendants.
Genesis 12:1-3 records God's call to Abram: "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you." This situating of Abram in Canaan is pivotal for the unfolding of God's covenantal promises.
Similarly, Jerusalem holds a central place in biblical history and prophecy. It is situated as the city of David, the location of the Temple, and the focal point of eschatological hope.
Psalm 48:2 describes it as "beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King."
Situational ContextsThe Bible also situates individuals within specific circumstances that reveal God's character and intentions. Joseph, for example, is sold into slavery and taken to Egypt, a situation that seems dire but ultimately serves God's purpose to preserve the Israelites during a famine.
Genesis 50:20 captures Joseph's understanding of his situation: "As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people."
Esther is another example of being divinely situated. As queen in Persia, she is positioned to save her people from annihilation. Mordecai's words to her in
Esther 4:14 highlight the providential nature of her situation: "And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Theological ImplicationsTheologically, being situated often implies divine sovereignty and purpose. God places individuals and nations in specific contexts to fulfill His will.
Acts 17:26 states, "From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands." This verse underscores the belief that God orchestrates the placement of peoples and nations according to His divine plan.
Symbolic MeaningsIn addition to literal placements, the Bible uses situational language symbolically. For example, the "valley of decision" in
Joel 3:14 symbolizes a place of judgment: "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the Day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision." Here, the situation is not merely geographical but represents a moment of divine judgment and decision-making.
ConclusionThe concept of being situated in the Bible is rich with meaning, encompassing geographical, situational, theological, and symbolic dimensions. It reflects the belief in a God who is actively involved in the world, orchestrating events and positioning individuals and nations to fulfill His purposes.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
a.) Having a site, situation, or location; being in a relative position; permanently fixed; placed; located; as, a town situated, or situate, on a hill or on the seashore.
2. (a.) Placed; residing.
Greek
897. Babulon -- "gate of god(s)," Babylon, a large citysituated...... 896, 897. Babulon. 898 . "gate of god(s)," Babylon, a large city
situated astride
the Euphrates river. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Babulon
...2179. Ephesinos -- of Ephesus.
... Word Origin variant reading for Ephesos, qv. of Ephesus. From Ephesos; Ephesine,
orsituated at Ephesus -- of Ephesus. see GREEK Ephesos. 2178, 2179....
Strong's Hebrew
8042. semali -- left, on the left... Usage left (9). left. From smo'wl;
situated on the left side -- left. see HEBREW
smo'wl. 8041, 8042. semali. 8043 . Strong's Numbers.
3427. yashab -- to sit, remain, dwell
... 3), settle (6), settled (23), sit (68), sit down (7), sits (20), sits enthroned
(1), sitting (48), sitting down (3), sitting still (1),situated (1), spent (1...
243. Aznoth Tabor -- a place in Naphtali
... Aznoth-tabor. From 'azan and Tabowr; flats (ie Tops) of Tabor (ieSituated on it);
Aznoth-Tabor, a place in Palestine -- Aznoth-tabor. see HEBREW 'azan....
Library
Man Would be More UnfavourablySituated than the Beasts if There...
... Chapter XIX."Man Would Be More UnfavourablySituated Than the Beasts If
There Were No Resurrection. In replying, then, to those...
A Description of Some Parts of Ancient Jerusalem.
... Between these two gates there was a third, leading to some streetssituated to the
east of the Temple, and inhabited for the most part by stonemasons and other...
Of the Mind and Its Seat.
... mind is also incomprehensible, who can be ignorant, but he who is altogether destitute
of mind, since it is not known in what place the mind issituated, or of...
Whether the Fire of Hell is Beneath the Earth?
... Dei xv, 16), "I am of opinion that no one knows in what part of the world hell is
situated, unless the Spirit of God has revealed this to some one." Wherefore...
The City of the "Elegant Gate"[*]
... Fukien: "Amoy issituated on an island of the same name.... much. The city is
situated on the western side of an island of the same name....
The Oracles.
... foretold. The three most important of these oracles weresituated respectively
at Delphi, at Dodona, and at the Oasis of Jupiter Ammon....
New York to California
... When I was but a little boy, I can well recollect, a nice little pond in the hollow
of two hills beautifullysituated, near the school house where the pupils...
At the Foot of the Bamboos
... "Our house is pleasantlysituated, having a good view of the inner part
of the harbor, and of several small islands in the harbor....
A Discourse
... That part of Palestine in which the celebrated mountains of Lebanon aresituated,
is the border country adjoining Syria, having Sidon for its seaport, and Land...
John's Salutation to the Churches.
... The Asia, in which they weresituated, was a province in Asia Minor, distinct from
Pontus, Gallatia, and Bithynia; which also were in Asia Minor, 1:Pet.1:1...
Thesaurus
Situated (6 Occurrences)... 1. (a.) Having a site, situation, or location; being in a relative position;
permanently fixed; placed; located; as, a town
situated, or situate, on a hill or
...Calah (2 Occurrences)
... name of Nimroud. The main ruins aresituated on a large, rectangular platform
on the bank of the old bed of the Tigris. 4. The Temple...
Bethesda (1 Occurrence)
... Stephen's Gate." Others again identify it with the twin pools called the "Souterrains,"
under the convent of the Sisters of Zion,situated in what must have...
Arabia (9 Occurrences)
... of the Southeast corner have an altitude of from 5,000 to 6,000 feet, those of the
Northwest of 4,000 or 5,000, whereas those which aresituated near the...
Zoar (12 Occurrences)
... The Arabian geographers mention it under the name Zughar, Sughar,situated 1 degrees
South of Jericho, in a hot and unhealthful valley at the end of the Dead...
Nicopolis (1 Occurrence)
... to which Paul urges Titus to come (pros me eis Nikopolin, ekei gar kekrika
paracheimasai (Titus 3:12)) is probably the city of that namesituated on the...
North (164 Occurrences)
... the south. 2. (n.) Any country or regionsituated farther to the north than another;
the northern section of a country. 3. (n.) Specifically...
West (110 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A country, or region of country, which, with regard to some other country
or region, issituated in the direction toward the west....
Tower (74 Occurrences)
... its importance, was to all appearance never regarded by the Babylonians as the Tower
of Babel, for the very good reason that it was notsituated in Babylon...
Damascus (58 Occurrences)
... Activity, the most ancient of Oriental cities; the capital of Syria (Isaiah
7:8; 17:3);situated about 133 miles to the north of Jerusalem....
Resources
What was the purpose of Stonehenge? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the significance of Egypt in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Moses in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgSituated: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
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