Topical Bible: Separation

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Definition and Concept:
Separation, in a biblical context, refers to the act of setting apart or dividing for a specific purpose, often with spiritual or moral implications. It can involve physical, spiritual, or moral distinctions between individuals, groups, or nations, as well as between the sacred and the profane.

Old Testament Context:
In the Old Testament, separation is a recurring theme, particularly in the context of holiness and purity. God commanded the Israelites to be separate from other nations to maintain their distinct identity as His chosen people. Leviticus 20:26 states, "You are to be holy to Me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be My own."

The concept of separation is also evident in the laws concerning clean and unclean foods, as well as in the regulations for the priesthood. The priests were set apart for service in the tabernacle, emphasizing the need for purity and dedication to God’s service.

New Testament Context:
In the New Testament, separation takes on a more spiritual dimension. Believers are called to be in the world but not of the world, maintaining a distinct identity as followers of Christ. 2 Corinthians 6:17 exhorts, "Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."

The New Testament also emphasizes separation from sin and unrighteousness. Romans 12:2 instructs, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." This call to transformation underscores the believer's need to live a life distinct from worldly values and practices.

Spiritual Separation:
Spiritual separation involves a commitment to holiness and a life dedicated to God. It requires believers to distance themselves from sinful behaviors and influences that can hinder their relationship with God. James 4:4 warns, "You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God."

Moral and Ethical Separation:
Moral and ethical separation involves adhering to biblical standards of conduct and righteousness. Believers are called to live lives that reflect the character of Christ, demonstrating integrity, love, and justice. Ephesians 5:11 advises, "Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them."

Separation in Church Discipline:
The concept of separation is also applied in the context of church discipline. The New Testament provides guidelines for separating from those who persist in unrepentant sin within the church community. 1 Corinthians 5:11 instructs, "But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbal abuser, a drunkard or swindler. With such a man do not even eat."

Conclusion:
Separation, as presented in the Bible, is a multifaceted concept that encompasses physical, spiritual, and moral dimensions. It serves as a means of preserving holiness, maintaining a distinct identity as God’s people, and fostering a deeper relationship with Him. Through separation, believers are called to live lives that honor God and reflect His character in a world that often stands in opposition to His ways.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) The act of separating, or the state of being separated, or separate.

2. (n.) Chemical analysis.

3. (n.) Divorce.

4. (n.) The operation of removing water from steam.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

SEPARATION

sep-a-ra'-shun: In the Pentateuch the word niddah specially points to a state of ceremonial uncleanness (Leviticus 12:2, 5; Leviticus 15:20 Numbers 6:4; 12:13; 19:21). For a description of the "water of purification," used for cleansing what was ceremonially unclean (Numbers 19), see HEIFER, RED; UNCLEANNESS. For "separation" in the sense of nezer, see NAZIRITE.

WATER OF SEPARATION (OR OF UNCLEANNESS)

See DEFILEMENT; SEPARATION; UNCLEANNESS.

Greek

1293. diastole -- a separation, a difference
... a separation, a difference. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: diastole
Phonetic Spelling: (dee-as-tol-ay') Short Definition: distinction ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1293.htm - 6k

1369. dichazo -- to cause a separation, separate, fig. alienate
... 1368, 1369. dichazo. 1370 . to cause a separation, separate, fig. ... Word Origin
from dicha (apart) Definition to cause a separation, separate, fig. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1369.htm - 6k

3311. merismos -- a dividing, distribution
... Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: merismos Phonetic Spelling:
(mer-is-mos') Short Definition: a distribution, separation Definition: (a) a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3311.htm - 7k

2762. keraia -- a little horn
... apostrophe Definition: a little hook, an apostrophe on letters of the alphabet,
distinguishing them from other little letters, or a separation stroke between ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2762.htm - 7k

4486. rhegnumi -- to break apart, by ext. to throw down
... forms, and is itself probably a strengthened form of agnumi (see in katagnumi))
to "break," "wreck" or "crack", ie (especially) to sunder (by separation of the ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4486.htm - 7k

2288. thanatos -- death
... 2288 (derived from 2348 , "to die") -- physical or spiritual ; (figuratively)
separation from the life (salvation) of God forever by dying without first ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2288.htm - 7k

575. apo -- from, away from
... In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation,
completion, reversal, etc. (ap) -- 125 Occurrences. (apo) -- 479 Occurrences. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/575.htm - 6k

1692. emeo -- to vomit
... 1692 -- properly, vomit (); (figuratively) repulsed, showing utter rejection (desiring
total separation); "to reject with extreme disgust" (, 6, 321). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1692.htm - 6k

1252. diakrino -- to distinguish, to judge
... [1252 () "literally means, 'to separate throughout or wholly' (, 'asunder,' , 'to
judge,' from a root , meaning 'separation'), then, to distinguish, decide ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1252.htm - 9k

3080. lusis -- a loosing (by divorce)
... a release, separation. From luo; a loosening, ie (specially), divorce -- to be loosed.
see GREEK luo. (lusin) -- 1 Occurrence. 3079, 3080. lusis. 3081 . ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3080.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

905. bad -- separation, a part
... 904, 905. bad. 906 . separation, a part. Transliteration: bad Phonetic
Spelling: (bad) Short Definition: alone. Word Origin from ...
/hebrew/905.htm - 6k

1509. gezerah -- separation
... 1508, 1509. gezerah. 1510 . separation. Transliteration: gezerah Phonetic
Spelling: (ghez-ay-raw') Short Definition: solitary. Word ...
/hebrew/1509.htm - 6k

910. badad -- isolation, separation
... 909, 910. badad. 911 . isolation, separation. Transliteration: badad
Phonetic Spelling: (baw-dawd') Short Definition: alone. Word ...
/hebrew/910.htm - 6k

1508. gizrah -- a cutting, separation
... 1507, 1508. gizrah. 1509 . a cutting, separation. Transliteration: gizrah Phonetic
Spelling: (ghiz-raw') Short Definition: area. Word Origin fem. ...
/hebrew/1508.htm - 6k

5145. nezer -- consecration, crown, Naziriteship
... from nazar Definition consecration, crown, Naziriteship NASB Word Usage consecration
(1), crown (10), dedicated (4), hair (1), Nazirite (1), separation (8). ...
/hebrew/5145.htm - 6k

911. Bedad -- an Edomite
... Word Origin from the same as bad Definition an Edomite NASB Word Usage Bedad (2).
Bedad. From badad; separation; Bedad, an Edomite -- Bedad. see HEBREW badad. ...
/hebrew/911.htm - 6k

3610. kilayim -- two kinds
... divers seeds e kinds, mingled seed. Dual of kele' in the original sense of separation;
two heterogeneities -- divers seeds (-e kinds), mingled (seed). ...
/hebrew/3610.htm - 6k

5079. niddah -- impurity
... personal (menstruation) or moral (idolatry, incest) -- X far, filthiness, X flowers,
menstruous (woman), put apart, X removed (woman), separation, set apart ...
/hebrew/5079.htm - 6k

914. badal -- to be divided, separate
... root Definition to be divided, separate NASB Word Usage came over (1), dismissed
(1), divide (1), excluded (2), made a separation (1), made...distinction (1 ...
/hebrew/914.htm - 6k

5144b. nazar -- to be a Nazirite
... Word Origin denominative verb from nezer Definition to be a Nazirite NASB Word Usage
abstain (1), dedicate (2), separated (1), separation (1). 5144a, 5144b. ...
/hebrew/5144b.htm - 5k

Library

Separation and Service
Separation and Service. <. Separation and Service James Hudson Taylor.
Produced by Free Elf, Verity White and the Online ...
//christianbookshelf.org/taylor/separation and service/

Tenth Day. Holiness and Separation.
... Tenth Day. Holiness and Separation. 'I am ... holy.... All the days of his separation
he is holy unto the Lord.'"Numbers 6:5, 8. 'Wherefore ...
/.../murray/holy in christ/tenth day holiness and separation.htm

On the Lamentable Separation of the Grave.
... PART THE FIRST. CHAPTER XX. On The Lamentable Separation of the Grave.
The Servant."Now, tender Lady, put an end to thy sorrow ...
/.../suso/a little book of eternal wisdom/chapter xx on the lamentable.htm

Luther's Separation from Rome.
... 7. LUTHER'S SEPARATION FROM ROME. ... Yet it was not without a terrible struggle with
himself that Luther decided upon a final separation from the church. ...
/.../7 luthers separation from rome.htm

The Separation of the Provinces, 1857-1899.
... BOOK THREE. The Rule of the Germans. CHAPTER VII. THE SEPARATION OF THE
PROVINCES, 1857-1899. As soon as the American demands became ...
/.../hutton/history of the moravian church/chapter vii the separation of.htm

March the Tenth Exaltation by Separation
... MARCH The Tenth EXALTATION BY SEPARATION. 2 1 Corinthians 6:11-18. When we
turn ... of Christ.". And therefore separation is exaltation. We ...
/.../my daily meditation for the circling year/march the tenth exaltation by.htm

Separation from the Unclean.
... Book II. Chapter LXXI."Separation from the Unclean. But Peter, most
benignantly regarding me, lest haply that separation might ...
/.../unknown/recognitions of clement /chapter lxxi separation from the unclean.htm

Separation on Earth --Reunion in Heaven.
... ORIGINAL HYMNS HYMN CCCXXXVIII. Separation on earth"Reunion in heaven.
6.6.8.6.8.8 James Montgomery. Separation on earth"Reunion in heaven. ...
/.../sacred poems and hymns/hymn cccxxxviii separation on earthreunion.htm

Luther's Separation from Rome
... Chapter 7 Luther's Separation From Rome. ... Yet it was not without a terrible struggle
with himself that Luther decided upon a final separation from the church. ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 7 luthers separation from.htm

Of the Separation of the Good and the Bad, which Proclaim the ...
... Book XX. Chapter 27."Of the Separation of the Good and the Bad, Which Proclaim
the Discriminating Influence of the Last Judgment. ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 27 of the separation of.htm

Thesaurus

Separation (50 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. SEPARATION. ... For "separation" in the sense of
nezer, see NAZIRITE. WATER OF SEPARATION (OR OF UNCLEANNESS). ...
/s/separation.htm - 23k

Naziriteship (5 Occurrences)
... Naziriteship (5 Occurrences). Numbers 6:4 All the days of his separation shall he
eat nothing that is made of the grape-vine, from the kernels even to the husk. ...
/n/naziriteship.htm - 7k

Parting (27 Occurrences)
... 6. (n.) The act of parting or dividing; the state of being parted; division;
separation. 7. (n.) A separation; a leave-taking. 8 ...
/p/parting.htm - 15k

Nazarite (8 Occurrences)
... Numbers 6:13 And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation
are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the ...
/n/nazarite.htm - 13k

Flux (26 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 15:19 And if a woman have a flux, and her flux in her flesh be blood,
she shall be seven days in her separation, and whoever toucheth her shall be ...
/f/flux.htm - 16k

Dedicated (37 Occurrences)
... Numbers 6:9 "'If any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles the head
of his separation; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing. ...
/d/dedicated.htm - 19k

Schism (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary A separation, an alienation causing divisions among
Christians, who ought to be united (1 Corinthians 12:25). ...
/s/schism.htm - 8k

Shaved (23 Occurrences)
... Numbers 6:9 And when the dead dieth beside him in an instant, suddenly, and he hath
defiled the head of his separation, then he hath shaved his head in the day ...
/s/shaved.htm - 13k

Nazirite (10 Occurrences)
... of an ordinary vow, men consecrated some material possession, but the Nazirite
consecrated himself or herself, and took a vow of separation and self-imposed ...
/n/nazirite.htm - 21k

Agape
... so completely. 4. Separation from the Eucharist: In the Didache (circa 100
AD) there is no sign as yet of any separation. The direction ...
/a/agape.htm - 15k

Resources

What does the Bible say about a trial separation in a marriage? | GotQuestions.org

When did the separation of humanity into Jews and Gentiles occur? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean that hell is eternal separation from God? | GotQuestions.org

Separation: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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

Concordance

Separation (50 Occurrences)

1 Corinthians 7:15
Yet if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace.
(WEB)

Hebrews 12:10
for they, indeed, for a few days, according to what seemed good to them, were chastening, but He for profit, to be partakers of His separation;
(YLT)

Hebrews 12:14
peace pursue with all, and the separation, apart from which no one shall see the Lord,
(YLT)

Genesis 1:14
And God saith, 'Let luminaries be in the expanse of the heavens, to make a separation between the day and the night, then they have been for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years,
(YLT)

Genesis 1:18
and to rule over day and over night, and to make a separation between the light and the darkness; and God seeth that 'it is' good;
(YLT)

Exodus 8:23
And I will put a separation between my people and thy people; to-morrow shall this sign be.
(DBY)

Exodus 11:7
And against all the sons of Israel a dog sharpeneth not its tongue, from man even unto beast, so that ye know that Jehovah doth make a separation between the Egyptians and Israel;
(YLT)

Exodus 26:33
And thou hast put the vail under the hooks, and hast brought in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony; and the vail hath made a separation for you between the holy and the holy of holies.
(YLT)

Exodus 35:12
the ark, and its staves; the mercy-seat, and the veil of separation;
(DBY)

Exodus 39:34
and the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers' skins, and the veil of separation;
(DBY)

Exodus 40:21
And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and hung up the veil of separation, and covered the ark of the testimony; as Jehovah had commanded Moses.
(DBY)

Leviticus 10:10
so as to make a separation between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the pure;
(YLT)

Leviticus 11:47
to make separation between the unclean and the pure, and between the beast that is eaten, and the beast that is not eaten.'
(YLT)

Leviticus 12:2
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT)

Leviticus 12:5
But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT)

Leviticus 15:19
And if a woman have a flux, and her flux in her flesh be blood, she shall be seven days in her separation, and whoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.
(DBY YLT)

Leviticus 15:20
And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT)

Leviticus 15:24
And if a man lie with her at all, and the uncleanness of her separation come upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean.
(DBY YLT)

Leviticus 15:25
And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT)

Leviticus 15:26
Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT)

Leviticus 15:33
and for a woman who is sick in her separation, and for him that hath his flux; for the man and for the woman, and for him that lieth with her that is unclean.
(DBY YLT)

Leviticus 16:22
and the goat hath borne on him all their iniquities unto a land of separation. 'And he hath sent the goat away into the wilderness,
(YLT)

Leviticus 18:19
And thou shalt not approach a woman in the separation of her uncleanness to uncover her nakedness.
(DBY YLT)

Leviticus 20:25
And ye shall make a separation between the clean beast and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the clean, and ye shall not make yourselves an abomination by beast, or by fowl, or by anything that creepeth on the ground which I have separated for you, declaring it as unclean.
(DBY YLT)

Leviticus 21:12
nor from the sanctuary doth he go out, nor doth he pollute the sanctuary of his God, for the separation of the anointing oil of his God 'is' on him; I 'am' Jehovah.
(YLT)

Numbers 4:5
And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron and his sons shall go in, and they shall take down the veil of separation and cover the ark of testimony with it;
(DBY)

Numbers 6:2
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD:
(See NIV)

Numbers 6:4
All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is made of the grapevine, from the seeds even to the skins.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Numbers 6:5
"'All the days of his vow of separation there shall no razor come on his head, until the days are fulfilled, in which he separates himself to Yahweh. He shall be holy. He shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 6:6
All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body.
(See NAS NIV)

Numbers 6:7
He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die; because his separation to God is on his head.
(WEB ASV YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 6:8
All the days of his separation he is holy to Yahweh.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 6:9
"'If any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles the head of his separation; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing. On the seventh day he shall shave it.
(WEB ASV YLT)

Numbers 6:12
He shall separate to Yahweh the days of his separation, and shall bring a male lamb a year old for a trespass offering; but the former days shall be void, because his separation was defiled.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 6:13
"'This is the law of the Nazirite: when the days of his separation are fulfilled, he shall be brought to the door of the Tent of Meeting,
(WEB KJV ASV WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 6:18
The Nazirite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of peace offerings.
(WEB KJV ASV WBS YLT)

Numbers 6:19
The priest shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the hands of the Nazirite, after he has shaved the head of his separation;
(WEB KJV ASV WBS YLT)

Numbers 6:21
"'This is the law of the Nazirite who vows, and of his offering to Yahweh for his separation, besides that which he is able to get. According to his vow which he vows, so he must do after the law of his separation.'"
(WEB KJV ASV WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 19:9
And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT)

Numbers 19:13
Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT)

Numbers 19:20
But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT)

Numbers 19:21
And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT)

Numbers 31:23
Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT)

Song of Songs 2:17
Till the day doth break forth, And the shadows have fled away, Turn, be like, my beloved, To a roe, or to a young one of the harts, On the mountains of separation!
(YLT)

Isaiah 59:2
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.
(See NAS RSV)

Ezekiel 18:6
he hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, nor come near to a woman in her separation,
(DBY)

Ezekiel 22:10
in thee have they discovered their fathers' nakedness; in thee have they humbled her that was unclean in her separation.
(DBY)

Ezekiel 22:26
Its priests have wronged My law, And they pollute My holy things, Between holy and common they have not made separation, And between the unclean and the clean they have not made known, And from my sabbaths they have hidden their eyes, And I am pierced in their midst.
(YLT)

Ezekiel 36:17
Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a woman in her separation.
(DBY)

Ezekiel 42:20
He measured it on the four sides: it had a wall around it, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Subtopics

Segregation

Separation

Separation from God

Separation in a Marriage

Related Terms

Naziriteship (5 Occurrences)

Parting (27 Occurrences)

Nazarite (8 Occurrences)

Flux (26 Occurrences)

Dedicated (37 Occurrences)

Schism (1 Occurrence)