Lexical Summary chug: circle, vault Original Word: חוּג Strong's Exhaustive Concordance circle, circuit, compass From chuwg; a circle -- circle, circuit, compass. see HEBREW chuwg NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chug Definition vault, horizon NASB Translation circle (2), vault (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs חוּג noun [masculine] vault; — only of vault of the heavens חוּג שׁמים התהלך Job 22:14; בְּחֻקֿוֺ חוּג עלֿ תהום ׳פנ Proverbs 8:27; הישֵׁב עַלחֿוּג הארץ Isaiah 40:22. Topical Lexicon Scope and Imagery of חוּג The term evokes a rounded, enclosing form—a circle, horizon, or vaulted dome that encompasses and orders what lies within it. In Scripture this image consistently portrays the boundary‐setting sovereignty of God: He defines the limits of sea and sky, earth and heaven, creature and Creator. Canonical Occurrences 1. Job 22:14 presents the “vault of heaven,” emphasizing God’s unseen yet active supervision over His creation. Creation and Cosmology Within Genesis–Isaiah contours, חוּג affirms orderly creation rather than mythic chaos. The drawn circle on the primordial deep (Proverbs 8:27) parallels Genesis 1:2–6, showing that God not only commands but geometrically delineates His world. Isaiah’s “circle of the earth” anchors the prophet’s comfort message (Isaiah 40) in the Creator’s omnipotence: the One who shapes the globe can surely shepherd His covenant people. Wisdom Literature Emphasis Proverbs personifies Wisdom as present when the circle was inscribed, underscoring that true understanding begins with recognizing divine design. The motif encourages readers to pursue wisdom that aligns with the creational order, not the self‐assertion found in Job’s accuser’s speech (Job 22). Prophetic Perspective Isaiah’s usage turns the creation image into an eschatological promise. The same God who once “stretches out the heavens like a curtain” will also renew and restore. The spatial imagery assures exiles of the Lord’s limitless reach—no empire can remove them from the compass of His care. Doctrinal Insights • Divine Transcendence: God is above the circle; He is not confined within the cosmos He fashions. Pastoral and Ministry Application • Worship: Use Isaiah 40:22 to call congregations to reverent awe—He who sits above the circle invites us into covenant fellowship. Historical Interpretation Jewish exegetes (e.g., Ibn Ezra) treated חוּג as evidence of God’s establishment of the heavens’ spherical motion. Early Christian apologists (e.g., Irenaeus) cited Isaiah 40:22 to illustrate the Creator’s majesty over a globe populated by all nations. In modern apologetics the verse is often highlighted to show the Bible’s coherence with observable reality while primarily serving its theological aim: magnifying the Lord’s kingship. Christological and Eschatological Foreshadowing The One who “encircles” the earth later encircles His people in grace through the incarnation (John 1:14). Revelation’s vision of a new heaven and new earth echoes Isaiah’s circle imagery, promising that the sovereign Designer will complete His redemptive plan. Liturgical Use • Call to Worship: Isaiah 40:22–23 can open services focusing on creation and sovereignty. In every passage, חוּג points hearts to the God who both encloses the universe and draws His people into the circle of His covenant love. Forms and Transliterations וְח֥וּג וחוג ח֝֗וּג ח֣וּג חוג Chug ḥūḡ veChug wə·ḥūḡ wəḥūḡLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 22:14 HEB: וְלֹ֣א יִרְאֶ֑ה וְח֥וּג שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם יִתְהַלָּֽךְ׃ NAS: And He walks on the vault of heaven.' KJV: not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven. INT: cannot see the vault of heaven walks Proverbs 8:27 Isaiah 40:22 3 Occurrences |
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