Does the Bible Teach that the Earth is Flat or Spherical?
Did the Biblical patriarchs and prophets believe and teach that the Earth is flat? Many believe that they did! But, as I believe I will show plainly in this blog, the Bible does not support a flat Earth, rather this suggestion comes from misinterpreting Scripture.
Misinterpretation Problem #1: Forgetting that the Bible wasn't written in English
Actually, the Bible only appears to support a flat Earth when you read it in English... But the Bible wasn't originally written in English...
In fact, as we will see, even in English, the Bible doesn't teach what the flat Earth supporters claim. But that may not be immediately obvious since the Bible's English is from the 1600's and words don't always mean the same things after all this time. So, in this blog, we'll take a closer look at what the Bible really teaches about the Earth's shape, looking carefully at the references in the Strong's Concordance to better understand what is really being said.
As we look at the Biblical descriptions of the Earth, whenever words come into question, let's use the Strong's Concordance to look at the original Hebrew words from the verses, which are translated into English.
According to Job 26:7, our Earth is suspended in space, like the other bodies of our solar system. Since the other bodies in our solar system are all spherical, it is likely that the Earth would have been created in the same shape as they. In fact, with only spheres about us, for the Earth to be different from the other bodies around it, the burden of proof lies with the difference - if one is honest. Thus, rather than having to prove the Earth is spherical, one would have to prove that the earth was flat.
Isaiah 40:22 says: "It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in."
Notably, the International Standard Version actually words Isaiah 40:22 in a way to make it appear to support a flat Earth. In the ISV this verse reads: "He's the One who sits above the disk of the earth..."
But is the original Hebrew word which is translated as "circle" in Isaiah 40:22 correctly translated as a flat circular disk? "Circle" in Isaiah 40:22 is translated from the original Hebrew word chug, which Strong's Concordance defines as meaning: "circle, circuit, compassive" and which Gesenius Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon further defines as a "sphere".
According to the fullest meaning of the original Hebrew words, "circle of the Earth" in Isaiah 40:22 means "sphere".
Thus, we see that the ISV has taken translation liberties which were not supported in the original meaning of the word. In fact, the Hebrew word chug supports "sphere" not "disk".
To show this with another Scriptural witness, the same Hebrew word (chug, meaning "circle/sphere") appears in Job 22:14, describing the starry heavens.
In Job 22:14, the Hebrew word chug is translated as "circuit". Since this is the same word found in Isaiah 40:22, where it appears translated as "circle", the same meaning applies, which is "circle/sphere". Are the heavens formed in a sphere? The answer to that is yes!
This fuller meaning of "circle" in these passages of Scripture - meaning sphere is also found in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, as follows:
Another factor, which has wrongly contributed to the idea the Bible supports a flat Earth, is the belief that every Scripture must be taken literally. No allowances are made for idioms or poetic expression. But, in some Scriptures, idioms are indeed being used. When taken literally, wrong understandings result, as we will soon see. How is Scripture wrongly being taken literally, when an idiom is being used? In Revelation 7:1, we find a reference to the "four corners of the Earth". Flat Earth promoters cite this verse as evidence of the flat Earth, for a sphere does not have four corners. But neither does a disk!
The Earth does not literally have "four corners". This poorly translated term is an expression which is not meant to be taken literally. Rather it is referring to the four compass points: North, South, East and West.
Can it be proven that Scripture sometimes uses expressions and idioms which cannot be rightly interpreted literally? Yes! Here are a couple examples of Scriptures which use Hebrew idioms and should not be taken literally: Psalm 16:11 and Psalm 50:10.
Psalm 16:11 - The Right Hand is an Expression - not a literal position
Because the “Right Hand” is an expression which indicates great power to provide whatever was promised, we can read Psalm 16:11 and not be concerned about where we are physically positioned in Heaven or the New Earth. The whole Earth will be filled with the glory of Yahweh. There won’t be a dark half on the left, where the holy “pleasures” cannot reach, since they are only to be found on Yahweh’s Right Hand!
Psalm 50:10 - "the Cattle on a thousand hills" is an expression - not literally true
Psalm 50:10 tells us that the Creator owns the cattle on a thousand hills:
Taking a Scripture idiom and making it literal produces tremendous doctrinal error. It never leads us to the Truth, which the misinterpreted Scripture is really conveying.
If you would like to see more Scriptures on this subject of the flat Earth, you may enjoy the following link: http://idontbuthedoes.com/does-the-bible-describe-a-flat-earth-the-answer-will-surprise-you/
In conclusion, I find that through observation and proper Bible study, there can be no question that the Creator designed our world with a spherical shape. This is what the Bible patriarchs and prophets believed and wrote in the Scriptures, as is plain when we look up the original Hebrew words being translated in our English Bibles.
This fact makes it possible for us to discuss heavenly events like solar and lunar eclipses, all of which are completely impossible in a flat-Earth scenario. But without going further into that at this time, let's return to the key point:
Observable science is not in conflict with Scripture... in fact, it never is. This is because the Bible is reliable and credible in everything it teaches - including science.
Considering how prevalent the theory of Evolution has become, you might be wondering how I can make such a strong statement about science and the Bible. Surely science and Scriptures are often at odds! Consider the theory of Evolution! But actually, the theory of Evolution doesn't qualify as "observable science". No human alive today was present when the Earth was formed. We cannot observe the formation of the Earth, nor reproduce it in a laboratory. If you cannot test it, observe it, and reproduce it - it is not observable science.
Evolution is classed as "historical science". But even this is a misnomer. Evolution is actually far from science. In fact, it is a religion rather than science. When it comes to observable science, the Bible is never in conflict. In fact, the Bible had it first.
Did the Biblical patriarchs and prophets believe and teach that the Earth is flat? Many believe that they did! But, as I believe I will show plainly in this blog, the Bible does not support a flat Earth, rather this suggestion comes from misinterpreting Scripture.
Misinterpretation Problem #1: Forgetting that the Bible wasn't written in English
Actually, the Bible only appears to support a flat Earth when you read it in English... But the Bible wasn't originally written in English...
In fact, as we will see, even in English, the Bible doesn't teach what the flat Earth supporters claim. But that may not be immediately obvious since the Bible's English is from the 1600's and words don't always mean the same things after all this time. So, in this blog, we'll take a closer look at what the Bible really teaches about the Earth's shape, looking carefully at the references in the Strong's Concordance to better understand what is really being said.
As we look at the Biblical descriptions of the Earth, whenever words come into question, let's use the Strong's Concordance to look at the original Hebrew words from the verses, which are translated into English.
According to Job 26:7, our Earth is suspended in space, like the other bodies of our solar system. Since the other bodies in our solar system are all spherical, it is likely that the Earth would have been created in the same shape as they. In fact, with only spheres about us, for the Earth to be different from the other bodies around it, the burden of proof lies with the difference - if one is honest. Thus, rather than having to prove the Earth is spherical, one would have to prove that the earth was flat.
Isaiah 40:22 says: "It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in."
Notably, the International Standard Version actually words Isaiah 40:22 in a way to make it appear to support a flat Earth. In the ISV this verse reads: "He's the One who sits above the disk of the earth..."
But is the original Hebrew word which is translated as "circle" in Isaiah 40:22 correctly translated as a flat circular disk? "Circle" in Isaiah 40:22 is translated from the original Hebrew word chug, which Strong's Concordance defines as meaning: "circle, circuit, compassive" and which Gesenius Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon further defines as a "sphere".
According to the fullest meaning of the original Hebrew words, "circle of the Earth" in Isaiah 40:22 means "sphere".
Thus, we see that the ISV has taken translation liberties which were not supported in the original meaning of the word. In fact, the Hebrew word chug supports "sphere" not "disk".
To show this with another Scriptural witness, the same Hebrew word (chug, meaning "circle/sphere") appears in Job 22:14, describing the starry heavens.
"Thick clouds are a covering to Him, that He seeth not; and He walketh in the circuit H2329 of heaven."
In Job 22:14, the Hebrew word chug is translated as "circuit". Since this is the same word found in Isaiah 40:22, where it appears translated as "circle", the same meaning applies, which is "circle/sphere". Are the heavens formed in a sphere? The answer to that is yes!
This fuller meaning of "circle" in these passages of Scripture - meaning sphere is also found in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, as follows:
“The Earth a Sphere—Certain astronomical relations were recognized very early. The stars appear as if attached to a globe rotating round the Earth once in 24 hours, and this appearance was clearly familiar to the author of the Book of Job, and indeed long before the time of Abraham, since the formation of the constellations could not have been effected without such recognition. But the spherical form of the heavens almost involves a similar form for the Earth, and their apparent diurnal rotation certainly means that they are not rigidly connected with the Earth, but surround it on all sides at some distance from it. The Earth therefore must be freely suspended in space, and so the Book of Job describes it: ‘He stretcheth out the north over empty space, and hangeth the Earth upon nothing’ (Job 26:7).” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)]Misinterpretation Problem #2: Literally applying Scripture which have idioms, poetic forms, or expressions
Another factor, which has wrongly contributed to the idea the Bible supports a flat Earth, is the belief that every Scripture must be taken literally. No allowances are made for idioms or poetic expression. But, in some Scriptures, idioms are indeed being used. When taken literally, wrong understandings result, as we will soon see. How is Scripture wrongly being taken literally, when an idiom is being used? In Revelation 7:1, we find a reference to the "four corners of the Earth". Flat Earth promoters cite this verse as evidence of the flat Earth, for a sphere does not have four corners. But neither does a disk!
The Earth does not literally have "four corners". This poorly translated term is an expression which is not meant to be taken literally. Rather it is referring to the four compass points: North, South, East and West.
Can it be proven that Scripture sometimes uses expressions and idioms which cannot be rightly interpreted literally? Yes! Here are a couple examples of Scriptures which use Hebrew idioms and should not be taken literally: Psalm 16:11 and Psalm 50:10.
Psalm 16:11 - The Right Hand is an Expression - not a literal position
Psalm 16:11 "Thou wilt shew me the path of Life: in Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right Hand there are pleasures for evermore."In Scripture, the reference to the “right hand” is an expression of great power. It has nothing to do with a literal placement or position. To see this clearly, consider Psalm 16:11, which states that “pleasures” (in Paradise) are to be found on Yahweh’s “Right Hand.”
Because the “Right Hand” is an expression which indicates great power to provide whatever was promised, we can read Psalm 16:11 and not be concerned about where we are physically positioned in Heaven or the New Earth. The whole Earth will be filled with the glory of Yahweh. There won’t be a dark half on the left, where the holy “pleasures” cannot reach, since they are only to be found on Yahweh’s Right Hand!
Psalm 50:10 - "the Cattle on a thousand hills" is an expression - not literally true
Psalm 50:10 tells us that the Creator owns the cattle on a thousand hills:
Psalm 50:10 "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills."If taken literally, this would mean that if I start counting hills... 998... 999... 1000... when I reach hill 1001, the cattle I find there do not belong to Yahweh. His ownership ended at hill number 1000. Of course, we know that this literal interpretation of Psalm 50:10 is all wrong. The number 1000, in Hebrew, can apply both literally and figuratively. Just as - in English the word "cool" can apply literally (to the temperature) and figuratively (to say that something is good, as in "that's cool!"). Figuratively, the term 1000 refers to totality. It is a Hebrew expression that means that God owns everything - the totality of all that is found on Earth.
Taking a Scripture idiom and making it literal produces tremendous doctrinal error. It never leads us to the Truth, which the misinterpreted Scripture is really conveying.
If you would like to see more Scriptures on this subject of the flat Earth, you may enjoy the following link: http://idontbuthedoes.com/does-the-bible-describe-a-flat-earth-the-answer-will-surprise-you/
In conclusion, I find that through observation and proper Bible study, there can be no question that the Creator designed our world with a spherical shape. This is what the Bible patriarchs and prophets believed and wrote in the Scriptures, as is plain when we look up the original Hebrew words being translated in our English Bibles.
This fact makes it possible for us to discuss heavenly events like solar and lunar eclipses, all of which are completely impossible in a flat-Earth scenario. But without going further into that at this time, let's return to the key point:
Observable science is not in conflict with Scripture... in fact, it never is. This is because the Bible is reliable and credible in everything it teaches - including science.
Considering how prevalent the theory of Evolution has become, you might be wondering how I can make such a strong statement about science and the Bible. Surely science and Scriptures are often at odds! Consider the theory of Evolution! But actually, the theory of Evolution doesn't qualify as "observable science". No human alive today was present when the Earth was formed. We cannot observe the formation of the Earth, nor reproduce it in a laboratory. If you cannot test it, observe it, and reproduce it - it is not observable science.
Evolution is classed as "historical science". But even this is a misnomer. Evolution is actually far from science. In fact, it is a religion rather than science. When it comes to observable science, the Bible is never in conflict. In fact, the Bible had it first.
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International Bible Encyclopedia quotes - illegible.
ReplyDeleteLove the idea that the burden of proof belongs to the exception.
Thank you, Shauna, for digging deeper to ascertain the original meanings in Bible text.