Topical Encyclopedia
The concept of "surround" in the Bible often conveys the idea of encirclement, protection, or encampment, both in a physical and spiritual sense. This term is used in various contexts throughout Scripture, illustrating God's protection, the presence of enemies, and the encompassing nature of divine judgment or blessing.
Divine Protection and PresenceOne of the most comforting uses of "surround" in the Bible is in the context of God's protection over His people.
Psalm 125:2 states, "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people, both now and forevermore" . This imagery of mountains encircling the city of Jerusalem serves as a powerful metaphor for God's enduring and steadfast protection over His covenant people. It reassures believers of God's constant presence and His ability to safeguard them from harm.
Similarly,
Psalm 34:7 declares, "The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them" . Here, the term "encamps" suggests a military-like protection, indicating that God's angels are actively involved in the defense and deliverance of those who revere Him. This verse emphasizes the spiritual reality of divine guardianship that surrounds the faithful.
Enemies and TrialsConversely, the Bible also uses "surround" to describe the presence of enemies or trials. In
Psalm 22:12, David laments, "Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me" . This vivid imagery portrays the overwhelming nature of adversaries that can encircle and threaten the believer. Such passages often reflect the struggles and persecutions faced by God's people, yet they also highlight the believer's reliance on God for deliverance.
In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, saying, "When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know that her desolation is near" (
Luke 21:20). This prophecy was fulfilled in A.D. 70 when Roman forces besieged and destroyed the city. The surrounding of Jerusalem by armies served as a sign of impending judgment, illustrating how encirclement can also signify divine retribution.
Divine Judgment and BlessingThe concept of being surrounded is also present in the context of divine judgment and blessing. In
Deuteronomy 32:10, God describes His care for Israel: "He found him in a desert land, in a barren, howling wilderness; He surrounded him, instructed him, and guarded him as the apple of His eye" . Here, God's surrounding presence is associated with His nurturing and protective care, highlighting His covenantal faithfulness.
In contrast, the encirclement of judgment is depicted in passages like
Isaiah 29:3, where God declares, "I will camp in a circle around you; I will besiege you with towers and set up siege works against you" . This imagery of encirclement by God Himself underscores the seriousness of divine judgment against unfaithfulness and rebellion.
Spiritual WarfareThe theme of being surrounded also extends to spiritual warfare. In
2 Kings 6:17, Elisha prays for his servant's eyes to be opened, revealing the spiritual reality: "And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha" . This passage illustrates the unseen spiritual forces that surround and protect God's servants, offering encouragement to believers facing spiritual battles.
Overall, the biblical use of "surround" encompasses a range of meanings, from divine protection and presence to the encirclement by enemies or judgment. It serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty, His protective care, and the reality of spiritual warfare in the life of the believer.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) To enclose on all sides; to encompass; to encircle.
2. (v. t.) To lie or be on all sides of; to encircle; as, a wall surrounds the city.
3. (v. t.) To pass around; to travel about; to circumnavigate; as, to surround the world.
4. (v. t.) To enclose, as a body of troops, between hostile forces, so as to cut off means of communication or retreat; to invest, as a city.
5. (n.) A method of hunting some animals, as the buffalo, by surrounding a herd, and driving them over a precipice, into a ravine, etc.
Greek
4023. periecho -- tosurround... to
surround. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: periecho Phonetic Spelling:
(per-ee-ekh'-o) Short Definition: I contain, seize Definition: (a) I contain (of
...2944. kukloo -- to encircle
... to encircle. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: kukloo Phonetic Spelling:
(koo-klo'-o) Short Definition: I encircle, besiege,surround Definition: I encircle...
4033. perikukloo -- to encircle
... to encircle. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: perikukloo Phonetic Spelling:
(per-ee-koo-klo'-o) Short Definition: I encircle,surround Definition: I...
4029. perikeimai -- to lie around
... to lie around. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: perikeimai Phonetic Spelling:
(per-ik'-i-mahee) Short Definition: Isurround, am surrounded with Definition...
Strong's Hebrew
3803. kathar -- tosurround... 3802, 3803. kathar. 3804 . to
surround. Transliteration: kathar Phonetic Spelling:
(kaw-thar') Short Definition:
surround. Word Origin a prim.
...5437. sabab -- to turn about, go around,surround
... sabab. 5438 . to turn about, go around,surround. Transliteration: sabab Phonetic
Spelling: (saw-bab') Short Definition: surrounded. Word Origin a prim....
5849a. atar -- tosurround
... atar. 5849b . tosurround. Transliteration: atar Short Definition:surround.... root
Definition tosurround NASB Word Usagesurround (1), surrounding (1)....
661. aphaph -- tosurround, encompass
... tosurround, encompass. Transliteration: aphaph Phonetic Spelling: (aw-faf') Short
Definition: encompassed.... compass. A primitive root; tosurround -- compass....
1598. ganan -- to cover,surround, defend
... 1597, 1598. ganan. 1599 . to cover,surround, defend. Transliteration: ganan
Phonetic Spelling: (gaw-nan') Short Definition: defend. Word Origin a prim....
2314. chadar -- tosurround, enclose
... 2313, 2314. chadar. 2315 . tosurround, enclose. Transliteration: chadar Phonetic
Spelling: (khaw-dar') Short Definition: surrounds. Word Origin a prim....
2653. chaphaph -- to enclose,surround, cover
... chaphaph. 2654 . to enclose,surround, cover. Transliteration: chaphaph Phonetic
Spelling: (khaw-faf') Short Definition: shields. Word Origin a prim....
5849. atar -- tosurround
... 5848c, 5849. atar. 5849a . tosurround. Transliteration: atar Phonetic
Spelling: (aw-tar') Short Definition: compass. compass, crown...
5439. sabib -- circuit, round about
... entirely (1), environs (5), every direction (2), every side (34), form (2), one
surrounding (1), places around (1), round about (29),surround (10),surround...
5362b. naqaph -- to go around
... around (1), completed cycle (1), encircling (1), encompassed (3), go around (1),
gone around (1), observe on schedule (1), round (1),surround (1),surround* (2...
Library
Reformation Hymnody
... Lord, lend us Thy counsel and speed our days,. The light of Thy gracesurround us.
Our grateful thanks to God ascend,.... The light of Thy gracesurround us....
Kept from Iniquity
... It is a natural impossibility, for so many difficultiessurround the
possession of riches; but with God all things are possible....
On Riches
... have the mind that was in Christ, and to walk as Christ walked: Such are the
hinderances to holiness, as well as the temptations to sin, whichsurround him on...
The Alchemy of Influence
... It is an analogy from an everyday fact Since we are what we are by the impacts of
those whosurround us, those whosurround themselves with the highest will be...
Concerning the Waters.
... was brought to view. And hence arose the two seas thatsurround Egypt, for
it lies between two seas. These collections contain [1749...
Preliminary Note.
... with, or influencing matter, or manifesting himself to other intelligences, but
that he gave forth certain divine powers or influences, whichsurround God as...
Psalm CXXV.
... mountains? Is this the whole of our happiness, that we shall have a city
which mountainssurround? Do we not know what mountains are?...
Whether the Circumstances are Properly Set Forth in the Third Book...
... Reply to Objection 1: Time and placesurround [circumstant] the act by way of measure;
but the otherssurround the act by touching it in any other way, while...
The Progress of Prelacy.
... says he, "proceed so far in the affectation of pomp and state, as to outdo even
bad rulers among the pagans; and, like the emperors,surround ourselves with a...
John Chapter vi. 15-44
... Thus it was also foretold of Him, "And the gathering of the peoples willsurround
Thee, and for this cause return Thou on high;" [491] that is, that the...
Thesaurus
Surround (39 Occurrences)... 3. (vt) To pass around; to travel about; to circumnavigate; as, to
surround the world.
... Multi-Version Concordance
Surround (39 Occurrences).
...Weapon (21 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). 2 Kings 11:8 You shallsurround the king, every man with his weapons
in his hand; and he who comes within the ranks, let him be slain....
Invest (2 Occurrences)
... estate. 4. (vt) Tosurround, accompany, or attend. 5. (vt) To confer; to
give. 6. (vt) To enclose; tosurround of hem in with troops...
Encircle (6 Occurrences)
... (vt) To form a circle about; to enclose within a circle or ring; tosurround;
as, to encircle one in the arms; the army encircled the city....
Beset (16 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To set or stud (anything) with ornaments or prominent objects. 3. (vt)
To hem in; to waylay; tosurround; to besiege; to blockade....
Compass (51 Occurrences)
... 11. (vt) To enclose on all sides; tosurround; to encircle; to environ; to invest;
to besiege; -- used with about, round, around, and round about. 12....
Surrounds (8 Occurrences)
... service. (DBY). Psalms 32:10 Many sorrows come to the wicked, but loving kindness
shallsurround him who trusts in Yahweh. (See RSV NIV)....
Hedge (12 Occurrences)
... and out. 4. (vt) Tosurround for defense; to guard; to protect; to hem
(in). 5. (vt) Tosurround so as to prevent escape. 6. (vi...
Surrounding (78 Occurrences)
... 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) ofSurround.... 3. (n.) An encompassing. 4. (n.) The things which
surround or environ; external or attending circumstances or conditions....
Hem (14 Occurrences)
... Luke 19:43 For the days will come on you, when your enemies will throw up a barricade
against you,surround you, hem you in on every side, (WEB WEY NAS RSV NIV...
Resources
Is it important to know Greek and Hebrew when studying the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is Wahhabism? What is Wahhabi Islam? | GotQuestions.orgHow can I increase my spiritual discernment? | GotQuestions.orgSurround: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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