Definition and Concept
Scattering, in biblical terms, often refers to the dispersal or distribution of people, nations, or groups by divine intervention or as a consequence of human actions. This concept is prevalent throughout the Scriptures and is frequently associated with judgment, discipline, or the fulfillment of God's purposes.

Old Testament Instances

1. Tower of Babel
The first significant instance of scattering occurs in Genesis 11:1-9, where humanity, speaking a single language, attempts to build a tower reaching the heavens. God intervenes by confusing their language, causing them to scatter across the earth. This event illustrates divine judgment against human pride and disobedience. Genesis 11:8 states, "So the LORD scattered them from there over the face of all the earth, and they stopped building the city."

2. Israel and Judah
The scattering of the Israelites is a recurring theme, often as a consequence of disobedience to God's covenant. In Deuteronomy 28:64 , God warns, "Then the LORD will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other." This prophecy is fulfilled during the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, where the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah are dispersed among foreign nations.

3. Prophetic Warnings
Prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel frequently speak of scattering as a form of divine punishment. Jeremiah 9:16 declares, "I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their fathers have known, and I will send a sword after them until I have finished them off." Such warnings serve as calls to repentance and reminders of the consequences of forsaking God.

New Testament Context

1. The Early Church
In the New Testament, scattering takes on a redemptive aspect. Following the martyrdom of Stephen, the early Christians are scattered due to persecution, leading to the spread of the Gospel. Acts 8:1 notes, "On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria." This scattering fulfills Jesus' command to be His witnesses "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

2. The Diaspora
The term "Diaspora" refers to Jews living outside Israel, a result of historical scatterings. James addresses his epistle "to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion" (James 1:1), acknowledging the scattered Jewish believers and their role in the early Christian community.

Theological Implications

Scattering in the Bible often serves as a tool for divine judgment, correction, and ultimately, the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. It underscores the sovereignty of God over nations and individuals, demonstrating that even in dispersion, His purposes prevail. The scattering of peoples, whether as a result of sin or persecution, often leads to the spread of God's message and the establishment of His kingdom across the earth.1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Scatter.

2. (a.) Going or falling in various directions; not united or aggregated; divided among many; as, scattering votes.

3. (n.) Act of strewing about; something scattered.

1290. diaspora -- a dispersion (Isr. in Gentile countries)
... Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: diaspora Phonetic Spelling:
(dee-as-por-ah') Short Definition: dispersion Definition: lit: scattering abroad ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1290.htm - 7k

4425. ptuon -- a winnowing shovel
... word Definition a winnowing shovel NASB Word Usage winnowing fork (2). fan. From
ptuo; a winnowing-fork (as scattering like spittle) -- fan. see GREEK ptuo. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4425.htm - 6k

4703. sporos -- a sowing, ie seed (sown)
... seed sown. From speiro; a scattering (of seed), ie (concretely) seed (as sown) --
seed (X sown). see GREEK speiro. (sporon) -- 4 Occurrences. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4703.htm - 6k

5289. naar -- a shaking, scattering
... 5288, 5289. naar. 5290 . a shaking, scattering. Transliteration: naar
Phonetic Spelling: (nah'-ar) Short Definition: scattered. ...
/hebrew/5289.htm - 6k

5311. nephets -- a driving storm
... scattering. From naphats; a storm (as dispersing) -- scattering. see HEBREW
naphats. 5310b, 5311. nephets. 5312 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/5311.htm - 6k

2213. zer -- circlet, border
... crown. From zarar (in the sense of scattering); a chaplet (as spread around the
top), ie (specifically) a border moulding -- crown. see HEBREW zarar. ...
/hebrew/2213.htm - 6k

4214. mizreh -- a pitchfork
... Word Origin from zarah Definition a pitchfork NASB Word Usage fork (2). fan. From
zarah; a winnowing shovel (as scattering the chaff) -- fan. see HEBREW zarah. ...
/hebrew/4214.htm - 6k

5310b. naphats -- to disperse, be scattered
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to disperse, be scattered NASB Word Usage disperse
(1), dispersed (1), populated (1), scattering (1). 5310a, 5310b. ...
/hebrew/5310b.htm - 5k

6327a. puts -- to be dispersed or scattered
... Word Usage disperse yourselves (1), dispersed (2), dispersed* (1), disperses (1),
harry (1), pour (1), scatter (16), scattered (33), scattering (2), scatters (1 ...
/hebrew/6327a.htm - 5k

2108. zulah -- except, only
... beside, but, only, save. From zuwl; probably scattering, ie Removal; used adverbially,
except -- beside, but, only, save. see HEBREW zuwl. 2107, 2108. ...
/hebrew/2108.htm - 6k

The Scattering of the People
... CHAPTER V THE SCATTERING OF THE PEOPLE. [Illustration: (drop cap A) The
Fish-god of Assyria and Babylonia] At last the full punishment ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter v the scattering of.htm

Otherwise, if Everything which Goes against Origen and his ...
... friends did not think it right to send you, because you were not at Rome, and because,
as they tell me, you and your companions were scattering accusations of ...
/.../12 otherwise if everything which.htm

Seed Scattered and Taking Root
... blown itself out. In remarkable contrast with the scattering Church are the
'devout men' who reverently buried the martyr. They were ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture the acts/seed scattered and taking root.htm

Desolation of the Earth.
... The gain of a lifetime is swept away in a moment. The rich bemoan the destruction
of their grand houses, the scattering of their gold and silver. ...
/.../the great controversy between christ and satan /41 desolation of the earth.htm

Desolation of the Earth
... The gain of a lifetime is swept away in a moment. The rich bemoan the destruction
of their grand houses, the scattering of their gold and silver. ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 41 desolation of the.htm

The Prodigality of Providence
... He strides away across the field scattering the seed broadcast, far beyond the border
where he expects a crop, for he knows that, though much shall be wasted ...
/.../peabody/mornings in the college chapel/xlv the prodigality of providence.htm

Gethsemane
... [5820] For, with their scattering upon His Death, it seems to us, the Apostolic
circle or College, as such, was for a time broken up. ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xii gethsemane.htm

An Exhortation to the People Respecting Fortitude and Patience...
... He is scattering what he has collected; and not only scattering, but he is also
mixing it up in the earth with much industry, so that it will be no easy matter ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/homily iv an exhortation to.htm

The Wisdom of God
... The apostles were scattered by reason of persecution, and their scattering was like
the scattering of seed; they went up and down, and preached the gospel, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/5 the wisdom of god.htm

There is a Definite Moment at which the Seed is Ripe...
... If our days are a constant rush and hurry, week in and week out, there is grave
reason to doubt if it is all God-given seed that we are scattering. ...
/.../trotter/parables of the christ-life/section 6 there is a.htm

Scattering (18 Occurrences)
... n.) of Scatter. 2. (a.) Going or falling in various directions; not united or
aggregated; divided among many; as, scattering votes. ...Scattering (18 Occurrences). ...
/s/scattering.htm - 11k

Gathering (71 Occurrences)
... NIV). Matthew 12:30 "The man who is not with me is against me, and he who
is not gathering with me is scattering abroad. (WEY YLT). ...
/g/gathering.htm - 28k

Strew (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (vt) To scatter; to spread by scattering; to cast or to throw loosely apart; --
used of solids, separated or separable into parts or particles; as, to strew ...
/s/strew.htm - 7k

Scattereth (18 Occurrences)

/s/scattereth.htm - 11k

Lighting (9 Occurrences)
... be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his
anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest ...
/l/lighting.htm - 9k

Waste (668 Occurrences)
... to expend without valuable result; to apply to useless purposes; to lavish vainly;
to squander; to cause to be lost; to destroy by scattering or injury. ...
/w/waste.htm - 37k

Inundation (6 Occurrences)
... The honour of His voice, And the coming down of His arm He doth shew with the raging
of anger, And the flame of a consuming fire, Scattering, and inundation ...
/i/inundation.htm - 8k

Raging (26 Occurrences)
... The honour of His voice, And the coming down of His arm He doth shew with the raging
of anger, And the flame of a consuming fire, Scattering, and inundation ...
/r/raging.htm - 13k

Repose (8 Occurrences)
... 9. (n.) A rest; a pause. 10. (v.) That harmony or moderation which affords rest
for the eye; -- opposed to the scattering and division of a subject into too ...
/r/repose.htm - 9k

Dispersion (4 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The act or process of scattering or dispersing, or the state of being scattered
or separated; as, the Jews in their dispersion retained their rites and ...
/d/dispersion.htm - 44k

What does the Bible mean when it refers to the Diaspora? | GotQuestions.org

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Scattering: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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