Library Home>All Subjects>W Subjects>West

West

Concise Bible Dictionary:

This was expressed by

1. yam, “the Sea,” referring to the Mediterranean, which lies on the west of Palestine (Gen. 12:8⁸And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord. (Genesis 12:8); and so forth).

2. maarab, δυσμή “sun-setting,” because the sun sets in the west (1 Chron. 7:28²⁸And their possessions and habitations were, Beth-el and the towns thereof, and eastward Naaran, and westward Gezer, with the towns thereof; Shechem also and the towns thereof, unto Gaza and the towns thereof: (1 Chronicles 7:28); Matt. 8:11¹¹And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 8:11)).

3. maarabah, “sun-setting,” only in Isaiah 45:6⁶That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:6).

4. mebo hashshemesh, from the “going down of the sun,” only in Joshua 23:4⁴Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward. (Joshua 23:4) and Zechariah 8:7⁷Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; (Zechariah 8:7).