Topical Bible: Below

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the context of the Bible, the term "below" is often used to describe a position or location that is lower in physical, spiritual, or metaphorical terms. It can refer to the earth in contrast to the heavens, a position of humility or subservience, or a state of being that is less exalted or divine.

1. Earth and Heaven:

The Bible frequently contrasts the earth, which is "below," with the heavens, which are "above." This distinction underscores the separation between the divine realm and the human realm. In Isaiah 55:9 , it is written, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." This verse highlights the transcendence of God's wisdom and plans compared to human understanding.

2. Humility and Subservience:

The concept of being "below" is also used to describe a position of humility or subservience. In Philippians 2:3 , believers are encouraged to "do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves." This teaching reflects the Christian virtue of humility, where one places themselves below others in service and love.

3. Spiritual State:

In a spiritual sense, "below" can refer to a state of being that is distant from God or lacking in spiritual elevation. Colossians 3:2 advises believers to "set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." Here, "below" represents earthly concerns and desires that can distract from a focus on the divine and eternal.

4. Symbolism in Prophecy and Parables:

The imagery of "below" is also present in biblical prophecy and parables. For example, in Ezekiel 31:14 , the fall of a great tree is described: "so that no trees by the waters may ever exalt themselves in their height or set their tops among the clouds, nor may their well-watered mighty ones stand erect in their height. For they have all been consigned to death, to the earth below, among the children of men, with those who descend to the Pit." This passage uses the imagery of being brought "below" to signify judgment and downfall.

5. Theological Implications:

Theologically, the concept of "below" can be seen in the doctrine of the Incarnation, where Jesus Christ, though divine, took on human form and dwelt "below" among humanity. Philippians 2:7-8 states, "but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross." This act of coming "below" is central to the Christian understanding of salvation and redemption.

In summary, the term "below" in the Bible encompasses a range of meanings, from physical location to spiritual condition, and serves as a powerful metaphor for understanding the relationship between the divine and the earthly, the exalted and the humble.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (prep.) Under, or lower in place; beneath not so high; as, below the moon; below the knee.

2. (prep.) Inferior to in rank, excellence, dignity, value, amount, price, etc.; lower in quality.

3. (prep.) Unworthy of; unbefitting; beneath.

4. (adv.) In a lower place, with respect to any object; in a lower room; beneath.

5. (adv.) On the earth, as opposed to the heavens.

6. (adv.) In hell, or the regions of the dead.

7. (adv.) In court or tribunal of inferior jurisdiction; as, at the trial below.

8. (adv.) In some part or page following.

Greek

2736. kato -- down, below
... down, below. Part of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: kato Phonetic Spelling:
(kat'-o;) Short Definition: down, below, lower, under, less Definition: (a) down ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2736.htm - 6k

5270. hupokato -- below, under
... below, under. Part of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: hupokato Phonetic Spelling:
(hoop-ok-at'-o) Short Definition: underneath Definition: underneath, below ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5270.htm - 6k

5259. hupo -- by, under
... case) of place (beneath), or with verbs (the agency or means, through); (with the
accusative case) of place (whither (underneath) or where (below) or time ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5259.htm - 7k

5274. hupolambano -- to take or bear up, to receive, to assume
... From hupo and lambano; to take from below, ie Carry upward; figuratively, to take
up, ie Continue a discourse or topic; mentally, to assume (presume) -- answer ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5274.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew

8478. tachath -- underneath, below, instead of
... 8477, 8478. tachath. 8479 . underneath, below, instead of. Transliteration:
tachath Phonetic Spelling: (takh'-ath) Short Definition: under. Word Origin a prim ...
/hebrew/8478.htm - 6k

4480. min -- from
... 35), any* (6), anything* (1), away (6), because (92), because* (86), before (12),
before* (117), beforehand* (1), behind* (10), belongs (1), below (1), below ...
/hebrew/4480.htm - 8k

4295. mattah -- downwards
... Word Origin from natah Definition downwards NASB Word Usage below (2), beneath
(2), bottom (2), downward (5), less (1), lower (2), under (1), underneath (1). ...
/hebrew/4295.htm - 6k

3588. ki -- that, for, when
... causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely
used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely ...
/hebrew/3588.htm - 7k

520. ammah -- an ell, a cubit
... Prolonged from 'em; properly, a mother (ie Unit of measure, or the fore-arm (below
the elbow), ie A cubit; also a door-base (as a bond of the entrance) -- cubit ...
/hebrew/520.htm - 6k

3381. yarad -- to come or go down, descend
... fall (2), fallen (1), falls (1), fell (1), flow down (2), flowing down (4), go
(1), go down (81), go* (2), goes down (2), going down (3), gone below (1), gone ...
/hebrew/3381.htm - 7k

Library

Above and Below
... HYMNS ABOVE AND BELOW. "As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing.""2 Corinthians 6:10.
PG. ... And rejoicing as I do it,. Thus with Christ I walk below. ...
/.../bevan/hymns of ter steegen and others second series/above and below.htm

Whether the Heavenly Bodies are the Cause of what is Produced in ...
... OF THE ACTION OF THE CORPOREAL CREATURE (SIX ARTICLES) Whether the heavenly
bodies are the cause of what is produced in bodies here below? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the heavenly bodies are.htm

from all that Dwell Below the Skies
... II. THE CHRISTIAN YEAR Sundays after Trinity: Praise and Adoration 250. From all
that dwell below the skies. LM ... From all that dwell below the skies. ...
/.../sundays after trinity praise and 2.htm

And I viewed the Other Things Below Thee, and Perceived that they ...
... Book VII Chapter XI And I viewed the other things below Thee, and perceived
that they neither altogether are? And I viewed the ...
/.../augustine/the confessions of saint augustine/chapter xi and i viewed.htm

Degrees of Glory in Heaven Corresponding with the Dignities of the ...
... The Stromata, or Miscellanies. Book VI. Chapter XIII."Degrees of Glory in
Heaven Corresponding with the Dignities of the Church Below. ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xiii degrees of glory in.htm

The Version Given Below is the Simple Setting.
... (For the Solemn Version of the Magnificat see No. 216) The version given below is
the simple setting. Ad Magnificat (In II. Vesperis). Antiphon. ...
/.../the st gregory hymnal and catholic choir book/for the solemn version of.htm

Why Jesus had to Go to Jerusalem.
... 5689] and those who become conformed to His death and resurrection had not yet been
raised along with Him, the city of God was sought for below, and the temple ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of matthew/20 why jesus had to.htm

Created Things are not a Shadow of the Pleroma.
... 1. If, again, they declare that these things [below] are a shadow of those [above],
as some of them are bold enough to maintain, so that in this respect they ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter viii created things are not.htm

Psalm CXXXVIII.
... before the Angels. My song is my joy; but my joy in things below is before
men, my joy in things above before the Angels. For the ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm cxxxviii.htm

There is but one God: the Impossibility of Its Being Otherwise.
... And if He has an end in regard to those things which are below, He has also
a beginning with respect to those things which are above. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/irenaeus/against heresies/chapter i there is but one.htm

Thesaurus

Below (52 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (prep.) Under, or lower in place; beneath not so
high; as, below the moon; below the knee. ...Below (52 Occurrences). ...
/b/below.htm - 22k

Lieutenant
... 2. (n.) A commissioned officer in the army, next below a captain. 3. (n.) A
commissioned officer in the British navy, in rank next below a commander. ...
/l/lieutenant.htm - 7k

Inferior (14 Occurrences)
... 4. (a.) Below the horizon; as, the inferior part of a meridian. 5. (a.)
Situated below some other organ; -- said of a calyx when ...
/i/inferior.htm - 11k

Tigris (2 Occurrences)
... After pursuing a tortuous southeasterly course for 150 miles, it is joined by
the east branch at Osman Kieui, some distance below Diarbekr. ...
/t/tigris.htm - 9k

Tikvath (1 Occurrence)
... After pursuing a tortuous southeasterly course for 150 miles, it is joined by
the east branch at Osman Kieui, some distance below Diarbekr. ...
/t/tikvath.htm - 9k

Tikvah (2 Occurrences)
... After pursuing a tortuous southeasterly course for 150 miles, it is joined by
the east branch at Osman Kieui, some distance below Diarbekr. ...
/t/tikvah.htm - 10k

Bulb (4 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A spherical body growing from a plant either above or below the ground
(usually below), which is strictly a bud, consisting of a cluster of partially ...
/b/bulb.htm - 8k

Talmud
... especially in Haggadic pieces), Palestinian Aramaic in the Palestinian Talmud, Eastern
Aramaic in the Babylonian Talmud (compare "Literature," (7), below). ...
/t/talmud.htm - 37k

Olive (61 Occurrences)
... The frequent references in the Bible, the evidences (see 4 below) from archaeology
and the important place the product of this tree has held in the economy of ...
/o/olive.htm - 37k

Tree (245 Occurrences)
... The frequent references in the Bible, the evidences (see 4 below) from archaeology
and the important place the product of this tree has held in the economy of ...
/t/tree.htm - 75k

Resources

What is Biblical Hebrew? Why was the Old Testament written in Hebrew? | GotQuestions.org

What is 119 Ministries? | GotQuestions.org

GotQuestions.org International | GotQuestions.org

Below: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Below (52 Occurrences)

Mark 14:66
As Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the maids of the high priest came,
(WEB WEY DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

John 8:23
"You," He continued, "are from below, I am from above: you are of this present world, I am not of this present world.
(WEY NAS RSV NIV)

Acts 2:19
I will display marvels in the sky above, and signs on the earth below, blood and fire, and pillars of smoke.
(WEY DBY NAS NIV)

Genesis 1:7
God made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so.
(See NAS)

Genesis 1:9
God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear;" and it was so.
(See NAS)

Genesis 35:8
Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; and its name was called Allon Bacuth.
(WEB JPS ASV NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 49:25
even by the God of your father, who will help you; by the Almighty, who will bless you, with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.
(WEB NIV)

Exodus 20:4
"You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
(See NIV)

Exodus 30:4
You shall make two golden rings for it under its molding; on its two ribs, on its two sides you shall make them; and they shall be for places for poles with which to bear it.
(See NIV)

Exodus 36:29
and they have been twins below, and together they are twins at its head, at the one ring; so he hath done to both of them at the two corners;
(YLT)

Exodus 37:27
He made two golden rings for it under its molding crown, on its two ribs, on its two sides, for places for poles with which to carry it.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 3:17
the Arabah also, and the Jordan and the border of it, from Chinnereth even to the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, under the slopes of Pisgah eastward.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 4:18
the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth;
(See NAS NIV)

Deuteronomy 4:39
Know therefore this day, and lay it to your heart, that Yahweh he is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is none else.
(See NAS NIV)

Deuteronomy 4:49
and all the Arabah beyond the Jordan eastward, even to the sea of the Arabah, under the slopes of Pisgah.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 5:8
"You shall not make an engraved image for yourself, nor any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 32:22
For a fire is kindled in my anger, Burns to the lowest Sheol, Devours the earth with its increase, and sets the foundations of the mountains on fire.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 33:13
Of Joseph he said, "His land is blessed by Yahweh, for the precious things of the heavens, for the dew, for the deep that couches beneath,
(See NIV)

Joshua 2:11
As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, neither did there remain any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath.
(See NIV)

Joshua 11:3
to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the hill country, and the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpah.
(See NIV)

Joshua 11:17
This was the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families. The border of their inheritance eastward was Ataroth Addar, to Beth Horon the upper.
(See RSV NIV)

Joshua 12:3
and the Arabah to the sea of Chinneroth, eastward, and to the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, eastward, the way to Beth Jeshimoth; and on the south, under the slopes of Pisgah:
(See NIV)

Joshua 13:5
and the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise, from Baal Gad under Mount Hermon to the entrance of Hamath;
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Judges 7:8
So he took the jars of the people from their hands, and their trumpets; and he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the three hundred men; and the camp of Mid'ian was below him in the valley.
(DBY NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 7:11
And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, as far as below Beth-car.
(DBY NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 4:12
Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam;
(See NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 7:29
and on the panels that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubim; and on the ledges there was a pedestal above; and beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging work.
(See RSV NIV)

1 Kings 8:23
and he said, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keep covenant and loving kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart;
(See NIV)

2 Kings 19:30
The remnant that has escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
(See NIV)

1 Chronicles 27:23
But David didn't take the number of them from twenty years old and under, because Yahweh had said he would increase Israel like the stars of the sky.
(See RSV)

Job 18:16
His roots shall be dried up beneath. Above shall his branch be cut off.
(See NAS NIV)

Job 26:5
"Those who are deceased tremble, those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
(See RSV)

Job 28:4
He openeth a shaft far from the inhabitants of the earth: forgotten of the foot, they hang suspended; away below men they hover.
(DBY)

Job 28:5
As for the earth, out of it comes bread; Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
(See NIV)

Job 40:13
Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in the hidden place.
(See RSV)

Proverbs 15:24
Acting wisely is the way of life, guiding a man away from the underworld.
(See NAS)

Ecclesiastes 3:21
Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of man that is going up on high, and the spirit of the beast that is going down below to the earth?
(YLT)

Isaiah 14:9
The underworld is moved at your coming: the shades of the dead are awake before you, even the strong ones of the earth; all the kings of the world have got up from their seats.
(See NIV)

Isaiah 24:21
And in that day the Lord will send punishment on the army of the high ones on high, and on the kings of the earth on the earth.
(See NIV)

Isaiah 37:31
And those of Judah who are still living will again take root in the earth, and give fruit.
(See NIV)

Jeremiah 31:37
Thus said Jehovah: If the heavens above be measured, And the foundations of earth below searched, Even I kick against all the seed of Israel, For all that they have done, An affirmation of Jehovah.
(YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 8:2
Then I saw, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of fire; from the appearance of his waist and downward, fire; and from his waist and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as it were glowing metal.
(See RSV)

Ezekiel 26:20
then will I bring you down with those who descend into the pit, to the people of old time, and will make you to dwell in the lower parts of the earth, in the places that are desolate of old, with those who go down to the pit, that you be not inhabited; and I will set glory in the land of the living:
(See NIV)

Ezekiel 31:14
to the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves in their stature, neither set their top among the thick boughs, nor that their mighty ones stand up on their height, even all who drink water: for they are all delivered to death, to the lower parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with those who go down to the pit.
(See NIV)

Ezekiel 31:16
I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to Sheol with those who descend into the pit; and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, were comforted in the lower parts of the earth.
(See NIV)

Ezekiel 31:18
To whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth: you shall lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, says the Lord Yahweh.
(See NIV)

Ezekiel 32:18
Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, and the daughters of the famous nations, to the lower parts of the earth, with those who go down into the pit.
(See NIV)

Ezekiel 32:24
There is Elam and all her multitude around her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who are gone down uncircumcised into the lower parts of the earth, who caused their terror in the land of the living, and have borne their shame with those who go down to the pit.
(See NIV)

Ezekiel 42:9
From under these chambers was the entry on the east side, as one goes into them from the outer court.
(See NAS RSV)

Ezekiel 42:12
According to the doors of the chambers that were toward the south was a door at the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall toward the east, as one enters into them.
(See RSV)

Amos 2:9
Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.
(See NAS NIV)

Jonah 1:5
Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten it. But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship, and he was laying down, and was fast asleep.
(See NAS NIV)

Subtopics

Below

Related Terms

Belshazzar's (1 Occurrence)

Belshaz'zar (8 Occurrences)

Mene (2 Occurrences)

Upharsin (1 Occurrence)

Tekel (2 Occurrences)

Nergalsharezer (2 Occurrences)

Nergal-sharezer (2 Occurrences)

Darius (26 Occurrences)

Cyrus (20 Occurrences)