The concept of surveying in the Bible often relates to the measurement and division of land, a practice that holds both practical and symbolic significance throughout the Scriptures. Surveying is closely associated with the themes of inheritance, promise, and divine order.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, surveying is primarily connected to the division of the Promised Land among the tribes of Israel. This process was a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham and his descendants. The Book of Joshua provides a detailed account of this division. Joshua 18:4-6 states, "Appoint three men from each tribe. I will send them out to survey the land and write a description of it according to the inheritance of each. Then they are to return to me. They are to divide it into seven portions. Judah is to remain in its territory in the south, and the house of Joseph in their territory in the north."

The act of surveying the land was not merely a logistical task but a sacred duty that underscored the covenantal relationship between God and Israel. It was a tangible expression of God's faithfulness and the realization of His promises.

Symbolic and Prophetic Dimensions

Surveying also carries symbolic and prophetic dimensions in the Bible. The precise measurement of land and boundaries often signifies divine order and justice. In Ezekiel's vision of the new temple, detailed measurements are given, emphasizing God's perfect design and the restoration of His people. Ezekiel 40:3 describes, "He brought me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway."

This vision highlights the importance of divine precision and the establishment of God's kingdom on earth. The act of measuring serves as a metaphor for God's judgment and the establishment of His righteous standards.

New Testament References

While the New Testament does not explicitly mention surveying in the same context as the Old Testament, the theme of measurement and divine order continues. Revelation 11:1 states, "Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and was told, 'Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there.'" This passage reflects the continuity of God's order and the preparation for His ultimate reign.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, surveying in the Bible underscores God's sovereignty and the fulfillment of His promises. It reflects the importance of order, inheritance, and the establishment of boundaries as ordained by God. The act of surveying is a reminder of the divine plan and the meticulous care with which God governs His creation.

In summary, the concept of surveying in the Bible is rich with meaning, encompassing practical, symbolic, and prophetic elements. It serves as a testament to God's faithfulness and the unfolding of His divine purposes throughout history.(imp. & p. p.) of Survey.4058. madad -- to measure
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to measure NASB Word Usage continues
(1), measure (9), measured (41), stretched (1), surveyed (1). ...
/hebrew/4058.htm - 6k

At Masaarah
... her veins. Har-hat, fan-bearer to the Pharaoh, late governor of Bubastis,
drew up his horses and calmly surveyed her. The action ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xviii at masaarah.htm

Introductory Notice to Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria.
... in spite of his pure and lofty purposes, his mind had been formed under the strong
bias of a transient fashion in divinity, and he always surveyed his subject ...
/.../introductory notice to alexander bishop.htm

Preface
... pulpit owes much to "Courses" of sermons, in which some great theme could be
deliberately treated, some vast tract of doctrine or experience adequately surveyed ...
//christianbookshelf.org/whyte/lord teach us to pray/preface.htm

Letter iv. Personal Habits.
... and shape. But the impression it made as I entered and surveyed it was
of refinement, beauty, repose, and purity. The furniture ...
/.../letter iv personal habits.htm

The Apology of Aristides the Philosopher. Translated from the ...
... I. I, O King, by the grace of God came into this world; and when I had considered
the heaven and the earth and the seas, and had surveyed the sun and the rest ...
/.../kay/the apology of aristides the philosopher/the apology of aristides the.htm

Jowett -- Apostolic Optimism
... who has dragged out the slimy sins which were lurking in their holes, and named
them after their kind"it is this man who when he has surveyed the dimensions ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons volume 10/jowett apostolic optimism.htm

Objections to Genuineness.
... But when Pearson had re-surveyed the evidence, he confessed, with shame, that though
he had given, what seemed to him a true opinion, he left the decision of ...
/.../dionysius/letters of dionysius the areopagite/objections to genuineness.htm

The Festival of Games, in Honor of Augustus, were About to Begin ...
... They stood in silence, all looking down. The old king surveyed them. Within the
palace a hundred harpers smote their strings, flooding the scene with music. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bacheller/vergilius/chapter 24 the festival of.htm

The Love of Christ.
... It is not a thing of time. It antedates the foundation of the world. "His
gracious eye surveyed us Ere stars were seen above.". He ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gaebelein/the lord of glory/the love of christ.htm

Gods, those which were Confessedly Elevated to the Divine ...
... [1043] Is it forgotten that the cynic Asclepiades on a single sorry cow, [1044]
riding on her back, and sometimes nourished at her udder, surveyed [1045] the ...
/.../tertullian/ad nationes/chapter xiv gods those which were.htm

Surveyed (5 Occurrences)
...Surveyed (5 Occurrences). Joshua 18:9 The men went and passed through the land,
and surveyed it by cities into seven portions in a book. ...
/s/surveyed.htm - 8k

Survey (6 Occurrences)

/s/survey.htm - 9k

Traverse (5 Occurrences)
... course. 10. (n.) A line lying across a figure or other lines; a transversal.
11. (n.) A line surveyed across a plot of ground. 12. (n ...
/t/traverse.htm - 10k

Abarim (8 Occurrences)
... From "the top of Pisgah", ie, Mount Nebo (qv), one of its summits, Moses surveyed
the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 3:27; 32:49), and there he died (34:1, 5). The ...
/a/abarim.htm - 12k

Surveyeth (1 Occurrence)

/s/surveyeth.htm - 6k

Portions (49 Occurrences)
... (See JPS ASV DBY YLT). Joshua 18:9 The men went and passed through the land,
and surveyed it by cities into seven portions in a book. ...
/p/portions.htm - 22k

Divisions (92 Occurrences)
... (See NAS RSV). Joshua 18:9 The men went and passed through the land, and
surveyed it by cities into seven portions in a book. They ...
/d/divisions.htm - 37k

Shiloh (34 Occurrences)
... Joshua 18:9 The men went and passed through the land, and surveyed it by cities
into seven portions in a book. They came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh. ...
/s/shiloh.htm - 27k

Exploration
... the auspices of this society during the next 15 years Jerusalem was explored as
never before, and all Western Palestine was topographically surveyed (see below ...
/e/exploration.htm - 38k

Palestine (1 Occurrence)
... the auspices of this society during the next 15 years Jerusalem was explored as
never before, and all Western Palestine was topographically surveyed (see below ...
/p/palestine.htm - 89k

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