Country
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words [1]
denotes "a field, especially a cultivated field;" hence, "the country" in contrast to the town (Eng., "agrarian, agriculture"), e.g., Mark 5:14; 6:36; 15:21; 16:12; Luke 8:34; 9:12 (plural, lit., "fields"); 23:26; a piece of ground, e.g., Mark 10:29; Acts 4:37 . See Farm.
primarily signifies "one's fatherland, native country, of one's own town," Matthew 13:54,57; Mark 6:1,4; Luke 4:23,24; John 4:44; Hebrews 11:14 .
properly denotes "the space lying between two limits or places;" accordingly it has a variety of meanings: "country," Matthew 2:12; 8:28; Mark 1:5 , RV (AV, "land"); Mark 5:1,10; Luke 2:8; 8:26; 15:13,14 , RV (AV, "land"), Luke 15:15; 19:12; 21:21; Acts 10:39 , RV (AV, "land"); Acts 12:20; 26:20 , RV (AV, "coasts"); Acts 27:27; in Mark 6:55 (in the best mss.) and Acts 18:23 , RV, "region." See Coast , Field , Ground , Land , Region.
peri, "around," and No. 3, signifies "country round about," Luke 8:37; "country about," Luke 3:3 , AV (RV, "region round about"); in Matthew 14:35; Luke 4:37 , AV, "country round about" (RV, "region round about"); Matthew 3:5; Mark 1:28; Luke 4:14; 7:17; Acts 14:6 . See Region.
"a part," is rendered "country" in Acts 19:1 , RV.
Mark 6:55
"upper," is used in the plural in Acts 19:1 , to denote "upper regions," with AV, "coast," RV, "country," i.e., the high central plateau, in contrast to the roundabout way by the river through the valley. See Coast.
"hilly" (from oros, "a hill, mountain"), is translated "hill country" in Luke 1:39,65 .
signifies "to go or travel into a far country," lit., "to be away from one's people" (apo, "from," demos, "a people"), Matthew 21:33; 25:14; in Matthew 25:15 the verb is translated in the RV, "went on his journey" (AV, "took his journey"); Mark 12:1; Luke 20:9 , "went into another country," RV. In Luke 15:13 both versions translate by "took his journey" ("into a far country" being separately expressed); see Journey. Cp. apodemos, lit., "away from one's own people, gone abroad," Mark 13:34 .
Matthew 9:31 Acts 7:3Land. Acts 4:36
King James Dictionary [2]
Country n. L., land adjacent to a city. Hence the citizen says, let us go into the country. The Latin has conterraneus, a countryman.
1. Properly, the land lying about or near a city the territory situated in the vicinity of a city. Our friend has a seat in the country, a few miles from town. See Mark 5 . Luke 8 . Hence, 2. The whole territory of a kingdom or state, as opposed to city. We say, the gentleman has a seat in the country, at any distance from town indefinitely. Hence, 3. Any tract of land, or inhabited land any region, as distinguished from other regions a kingdom, state or lesser district. We speak of all the countries of Europe or Asia.
And they came into the country of Moab. Ruth 1 .
4. The kingdom , state or territory in which one is born the land of nativity or the particular district indefinitely in which one is born. America is my country, or Connecticut is my country.
Laban said, it must not be so done in our country. Genesis 29 .
5. The region in which one resides.
He sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country. Hebrews 11 .
6. Land, as opposed to water or inhabited territory.
The shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country. Acts 27 .
7. The inhabitants of a region.
All the country wept with a loud voice. 2 Samuel 15 .
8. A place of residence a region of permanent habitation.
They declare plainly that they seek a country. Hebrews 11 .
They desire a better country, a heavenly. Hebrews 11 .
9. In law, a jury or jurors as, trial by the country, per pais.
COUNTRY, a.
1. Pertaining to the country or territory at a distance from a city rural rustic as a country town a country seat a country squire a country life the country party, as opposed to city party. 2. Pertaining or peculiar to ones own country.
He spoke in his country language.
3. Rude ignorant.
Country-dance, and erroneous orthography. See Contra-dance.
Webster's Dictionary [3]
(1): (a.) Pertaining, or peculiar, to one's own country.
(2): (adv.) The rock through which a vein runs.
(3): (adv.) The inhabitants of the district from which a jury is drawn.
(4): (a.) Destitute of refinement; rude; unpolished; rustic; not urbane; as, country manners.
(5): (a.) Pertaining to the regions remote from a city; rural; rustic; as, a country life; a country town; the country party, as opposed to city.
(6): (adv.) A jury, as representing the citizens of a country.
(7): (adv.) A tract of land; a region; the territory of an independent nation; (as distinguished from any other region, and with a personal pronoun) the region of one's birth, permanent residence, or citizenship.
(8): (adv.) Rural regions, as opposed to a city or town.
(9): (adv.) The inhabitants or people of a state or a region; the populace; the public. Hence: (a) One's constituents. (b) The whole body of the electors of state; as, to dissolve Parliament and appeal to the country.
Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types [4]
Luke 4:24 (a) This refers to the locality or the neighborhood in which a person lives.
Luke 20:9 (b) The word is used to describe Heaven where Christ has gone to live with His Father until He returns to earth again.
Hebrews 11:14 (b) Probably this refers to the eternal state where we shall live together in happy fellowship with no debts, no death, no despair, but only the peace of GOD and His presence.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [5]
kun´tri ( ארץ , 'erec , "land," שׂדה , sādheh , "field"; ἀγρός , agrós , "field," χώρα , chō̇ra , "region"): The foregoing are the principal words rendered "country" in English Versions of the Bible, though we find also 'ădhāmāh , "earth" ( Jonah 4:2 ); 'ı̄ , "island" ( Jeremiah 47:4 the King James Version); gelı̄lāh , "circuit" ( Ezekiel 47:8 the King James Version); ḥebhel , "rope" ( Deuteronomy 3:14 ); māḳōm , "place" ( Genesis 29:26 the King James Version); nepheth ,"hill" or "height" ( Joshua 17:11 the King James Version); génos , "race" ( Acts 4:36 the King James Version); γῆ , gḗ , "earth" ( Matthew 9:31 the King James Version; Acts 7:3 the King James Version); πατρίς , patrı́s , "native land" ( Luke 4:23; John 4:44; Hebrews 11:14 ); περίχωρος , perı́chōros , "country (the American Standard Revised Version "region") round about" ( Matthew 14:35; Luke 3:3; Luke 4:37; Luke 8:37 ). In Hebrews 11:14 , "heaven" is referred to as a country. Egypt and Assyria were "far countries" ( Jeremiah 8:19 the King James Version; Zechariah 10:9 ). The hill country (compare the numerous Gibeahs ( gibh‛āh , "a hill")) was the mountainous region to the North or to the South of Jerusalem. The low country, shephēlāh (see Shephelah ), consisted of the foothills to the west of the hill country. The south country or Negeb ( neghebh ), which see, was the dry, extreme southern part of Palestine,approximately between Beersheba and Kadesh-barnea.
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [6]
Heaven is called a country in the Bible, in allusion to Canaan. And it is a better country, as its inhabitants, privileges, and employments are far more excellent than any on earth ( Hebrews 11:14; Hebrews 11:16). It is a far country, very distant from and unknown in our world ( Matthew 21:37; Matthew 25:14; Luke 19:12). A state of apostasy from God, whether of men in general or of the Gentile world, is called a far country; it is distant from that in which we ought to be; in it we are ignorant of God, exposed to danger, and have none to pity or help us ( Luke 15:13). A state or place of gross ignorance and wickedness is called the region and shadow of death ( Matthew 4:16).
References
- ↑ Country from Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words
- ↑ Country from King James Dictionary
- ↑ Country from Webster's Dictionary
- ↑ Country from Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types
- ↑ Country from International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
- ↑ Country from Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
