Lexical Summary tor: Dove, Turtledove Original Word: תּוּר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance border, row, turn Probably the same as towr; a manner (as a sort of turn) -- estate. see HEBREW towr NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originthe same as tor, q.v. Topical Lexicon Biblical Context The single occurrence of תּוּר (Strong’s 8448) appears in 1 Chronicles 17:17, within Nathan’s report of the Davidic covenant. David responds, “You have looked on me as one in the line of men of high rank, O LORD God” (1 Chronicles 17:17). The word describes an assigned “line” or “order,” highlighting David’s astonishment that God has placed him in an exalted rank and has spoken of his house’s future. Semantic Range and Connotation Though literally evoking a “row, course, or ordered arrangement,” the term functions figuratively here: God positions David in a distinguished succession, establishing an enduring royal charter. The nuance is not merely personal honor but placement within a divinely ordered structure that will shape Israel’s history. Historical Background Ancient Near-Eastern monarchs issued charters to elevate individuals or families, granting perpetual privileges. In Chronicles, the Chronicler underscores that the true charter over Israel’s throne comes not from human decree but God Himself. By employing תּוּר, the text subtly alludes to this royal-grant concept familiar to the original audience. The Davidic Covenant Implications 1 Chronicles 17 parallels 2 Samuel 7 yet diverges by substituting תּוּר for “torah” (“instruction”) found in Samuel. The Chronicler’s term shifts focus from legal wording to ordered rank, bolstering the theme that God has architected a lineage culminating in an eternal King. It thus affirms: Prophetic and Messianic Dimensions The “line of men of high rank” anticipates a Son greater than David. Subsequent prophets echo this ordered promise (Isaiah 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5-6). Matthew 1 intentionally arranges Jesus’ genealogy into measured groupings, portraying Him as the consummation of the divinely ordered תּוּר. Theological Reflections 1. Sovereign Ordering: God orchestrates history, seating leaders “in the line” He chooses (Psalm 75:6-7). Practical Ministry Application • Identity: Just as David embraced his God-given place, Christians rest in their adoption and commissioning (1 Peter 2:9). New Testament Echoes The ordered inheritance glimpsed in תּוּר surfaces when the church is called “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9) and when saints are said to be “seated with Him in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 2:6). These passages echo David’s experience: God exalts His servants into a divinely established rank, all under the greater Son of David. Forms and Transliterations כְּת֧וֹר כתור kə·ṯō·wr keTor kəṯōwrLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 17:17 HEB: לְמֵרָח֑וֹק וּרְאִיתַ֗נִי כְּת֧וֹר הָאָדָ֛ם הַֽמַּעֲלָ֖ה KJV: and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man INT: A great regarded to the estate of a man of high 1 Occurrence |
    |