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creation where we read of One, spoken of as the personification of Wisdom, saying that
He was "rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth" (Prov. 8: 31), where the words
tebel or oikoumene are translated "habitable part". Bildad the Shuhite has a strange
expression, he speaks of the wicked being driven from light to darkness, and chased out
of the world" (Job 18: 18).
If tebel refers to the habitable part of the earth, and particularly that which was
promised to Abraham or ruled over by Nebuchadnezzar later, then we can understand the
expression, but if we interpret the word "world" in its widest sense, how can one be
chased "out of it"? The parallel which is instituted between "darkness" and "out of the
world" calls to mind and illuminates the words "outer darkness" (Matt. 8: 12; 22: 13;
25: 30), and probably also such expressions as "the four corners of the earth". These
terms must be interpreted with the land of promise as the centre. In Psalm 89: 11
tebel, "the world" is differentiated from both "the heavens" and "the earth". Again in
Psalm 90: 2 "the earth and the world" are spoken of as distinct, "or ever Thou hast
formed the earth and the world" (see also Psalm 93: 1; 96: 10, 13; 98: 7). The
Hebrew word tebel occurs in places where the LXX translates it other than oikoumene,
some of these passages are somewhat vaguely rendered, but here are a few. We have
given one quotation from Job, but two others must be added:
"Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole
world?" (34: 13).
"The face of the world in the earth" (37: 12).
Job 18: 18 already quoted is parallel with the punishment of Cain, who became a
fugitive or a vagabond "driven from the face of the earth" (Gen. 4: 14). The LXX
translates the Hebrew word tebel in Job 34: 13 by the Greek tenhup' ouranon, "that
which is under heaven".
From what we have gathered there appears a strong presumption in favour of
interpreting the references to the Prophetic Earth so that they fall within the borders of
the Babylonian Empire in the East, to the extremes of the Roman Empire in the West. If,
as we believe, the prophetic image of Dan. 2: is about to be resumed after its veiled
history during Israel's blindness, it will be misleading to read into the Prophets or the
Apocalypse references to the nations of the wide earth, where a far more limited sphere is
intended. We must examine these references afresh and seek the light that comes from
Truth alone.