Biblical Usage
In the Bible, boundaries mark the limits of lands, possessions, peoples, and territories. They are especially important in connection with inheritance, where the land assigned to tribes and families had defined limits.
Scripture also uses the idea of boundaries more broadly. God is described as establishing the borders of the earth and the boundaries of nations. Boundaries therefore may refer to geographical limits established by people or to limits established by God.
A boundary describes the limit itself. A border may refer more broadly to the edge or outer limit of a territory, while a landmark is a physical marker used to identify or preserve such a limit.
Key References
Deuteronomy 19:14 — Israel was commanded not to remove a neighbour’s landmark from an inherited possession.
Proverbs 22:28 — The ancient landmark established by earlier generations was not to be removed.
Psalm 74:17 — God is described as having set the borders of the earth.
Proverbs 23:10 — The ancient landmark and the fields of the fatherless were not to be removed.
Acts 17:26 — God is described as having determined the times and bounds of the habitation of nations.
Related Terms
- Border
- Landmark
- Territory
- Land
- Allotment
- Inheritance