The term "spanned" in the context of the Bible often refers to the measurement or extent of something, typically using the span as a unit of measurement. A span is an ancient unit of length, roughly equivalent to the distance between the tip of the thumb and the tip of the little finger when the hand is fully extended, approximately 9 inches or 23 centimeters.

Biblical Usage and Symbolism

1. Creation and God's Sovereignty: The concept of spanning is used metaphorically in the Bible to describe God's immense power and sovereignty over creation. In Isaiah 40:12, the prophet asks rhetorically, "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, or marked off the heavens with the span of His hand?" . This imagery emphasizes God's omnipotence and the ease with which He governs the universe, highlighting His authority and control over all creation.

2. Human Limitation: In contrast to God's infinite power, the span also serves as a reminder of human limitation. The finite nature of a span underscores the brevity and fragility of human life. Psalm 39:5 states, "Behold, You have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before You. Truly, each man at his best exists as but a breath" . Here, the span is a metaphor for the shortness of life, urging believers to live with an awareness of their mortality and dependence on God.

3. Construction and Measurement: In the construction of the Tabernacle and the Temple, precise measurements were crucial, and the span was one of the units used. For example, in the description of the Temple's furnishings, the span is used to specify dimensions, ensuring that everything was made according to divine specifications. This attention to detail reflects the importance of obedience and reverence in worship.

4. Symbol of Completeness: The span can also symbolize completeness or wholeness. In the context of biblical numerology and symbolism, measurements often carry deeper meanings. The span, as a complete unit of measure, can represent the fullness of God's plan and the perfection of His creation.

Theological Implications

The use of "spanned" in the Bible serves to illustrate key theological concepts such as God's transcendence and immanence. By spanning the heavens, God is depicted as both above and beyond creation, yet intimately involved with it. This duality reassures believers of God's proximity and care, while also inspiring awe and reverence for His majesty.

In summary, the concept of "spanned" in the Bible is rich with meaning, serving as a powerful metaphor for God's greatness and the human condition. It calls believers to recognize their own limitations, to trust in God's sovereign plan, and to live lives that reflect His glory and purpose.(imp. & p. p.) of Span.

Greek and Jew
... gemstone"the Temple. Behind it towered Roman Antonia. Westward the Tyropean
Bridge spanned a deep, populous ravine. The high broad ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter viii greek and jew.htm

Introduction
... Thus his career spanned that critical era of the Church's development which witnessed,
after the passing of its apostolic founders and missionaries, the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/richardson/early christian fathers/introduction 3.htm

The First and the Last
... Mine hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned
the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.". ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the first and the last.htm

LMC Wesley. The Sailor's Hymn.
... 4 Infinite God, Thy greatness spanned These heavens, and meted out the skies;
Lo! in the hollow of Thy hand The measured waters sink and rise. ...
/.../various/book of hymns for public and private devotion/572 l m c wesley.htm

Conversion of all that Come.
... Perdition is not a stream spanned by many bridges; nor does the saint, tossed between
endless hopes and fears, cross the bridge leading to life, by and by to ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxix conversion of all that.htm

"They that Go Down to the Sea in Ships. " 1 Lord of the Wide ...
... 3 Infinite God! thy greatness spanned These heavens, and meted out the skies;
Lo' in the hollow of thy hand The measured waters sink and rise. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/adams/hymns for christian devotion/825 they that go.htm

The Tenet of the Duad Made the Foundation of Valentinus' System of ...
... Cf. 2 1 Corinthians 2:11.]. [682] This Sophia was, so to speak, the bridge
which spanned the abyss between God and Reality. Under ...
/.../hippolytus/the refutation of all heresies/chapter xxv the tenet of the.htm

Constantinople
... honour of the saintly Bishop of Antioch, through which the Emperor used to walk
to the private wooden staircase"the Skepaste Skala"which spanned the space ...
/.../chapter xvii constantinople.htm

The Fall of Eutropius
... him. He had not a moment to lose. The Emperor's private passage spanned
the Chalkoprateia, and led into the Church of St. Sophia. ...
/.../chapter xxvi the fall of.htm

His Missionary Travels
... Behind Perga rose the snow-clad peaks of the Taurus Mountains, which had to be
penetrated through narrow passes, where crazy bridges spanned the rushing ...
/.../stalker/the life of st paul/chapter vi his missionary travels.htm

Spanned (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Span. Multi-Version Concordance
Spanned (1 Occurrence). Isaiah 48:13 Mine hand also hath ...
/s/spanned.htm - 6k

Span (14 Occurrences)

/s/span.htm - 12k

Kishon (6 Occurrences)
... from Chaifd to Nazareth. Here it is now spanned by a substantial bridge,
while the railway crosses a little higher up. At the mouth ...
/k/kishon.htm - 12k

Kidron (11 Occurrences)
... under the name Wady el Joz ("Valley of the Walnuts"), passes South until level with
the southeastern corner of the temple-area where its bed is spanned by an ...
/k/kidron.htm - 17k

Tyropoeon
... This valley, now filled up with a vast accumulation of rubbish, and almost a plain,
was spanned by bridges, the most noted of which was Zion Bridge, which was ...
/t/tyropoeon.htm - 7k

Bridge
... 2. (n.) Anything supported at the ends, which serves to keep some other thing from
resting upon the object spanned, as in engraving, watchmaking, etc., or ...
/b/bridge.htm - 9k

Assur (2 Occurrences)
... them passageways led to the parapet above. The gates were reached by bridges
which spanned the moat. Along the river side the city ...
/a/assur.htm - 13k

Asshur (133 Occurrences)
... them passageways led to the parapet above. The gates were reached by bridges
which spanned the moat. Along the river side the city ...
/a/asshur.htm - 46k

Sherghat
... them passageways led to the parapet above. The gates were reached by bridges
which spanned the moat. Along the river side the city ...
/s/sherghat.htm - 12k

Brook (75 Occurrences)
... under the name Wady el Joz ("Valley of the Walnuts"), passes South until level with
the southeastern corner of the temple-area where its bed is spanned by an ...
/b/brook.htm - 45k

Where did Noah live? | GotQuestions.org

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What is the difference between Sheol, Hades, Hell, the lake of fire, Paradise, and Abraham's bosom? | GotQuestions.org

Spanned: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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