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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Compass; Compasses
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kum´pas, kum´pas-iz: “Compass,†noun, is the translation of חוּג, hÌ£uÌ„gh, “a circle,†“vault†or “arch†(“when he set a compass upon the face of the depth†the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American), the American Standard Revised Version “circleâ€; compare ; and see CIRCLE; VAULT OF EARTH); of כּרכּב, karkoÌ„bh, “a margin†“border†(, “the compass of the altar,†the Revised Version (British and American) “the ledge round,†so ); the phrase “to fetch a compass†is the translation of סבב, saÌ„bhabh, “to turn about,†“go round about†(; , the Revised Version (British and American) “turn about,†; , the Revised Version (British and American) “make a circuitâ€); of perieÌrchomai, “to go about†(, the Revised Version (British and American) “made a circuitâ€; margin “Some ancient authorities read cast looseâ€; see CIRCUIT).
“Compasses†is the Revised Version (British and American) for “compass,†מהוּגה, meḥūghāh, an instrument for describing a circle: “He marketh it out with the compasses†() in making an idol.
The verb “to compass†occurs frequently in the senses of “to surround†and “to go round about,†e.g. , “which compasseth the whole land of Havilah,†, “We compassed (went around) mount Seir many daysâ€; in we have “A new thing on the earth: a woman shall compass a man,†the Revised Version (British and American) “encompassâ€; possibly as a suitor; but more probably as a protector. In those happy days, the protection of women (under God, ) will be sufficient, while the men are at their work; “to encompass†(“The cords of death compassed me†; “the waves of death,†). “To gird†( the Revised Version (British and American)); “to lie around,†“to be laid around†(, “compassed with infirmity†(clothed with it); , “compassed about with so great a cloud of witnessesâ€).
In Apocrypha we have “compassed about with yawning darkness†(The Wisdom of Solomon 19:17); “compassed the circuit of heaven†(Ecclesiasticus 24:5); “compassed with pomegranates of gold†(Ecclesiasticus 45:9); “The rainbow compasseth the heaven†(Ecclesiasticus 43:12); the course of the sun (1 Esdras 4:34).