King James Bible Dictionary

1. In the sense of soil or ground, the translation of the word adamah'. In Genesis 9:20 "husbandman" is literally "man of the ground or earth." Altars were to be built of earth (Exodus 20:24). Naaman asked for two mules' burden of earth (2 Kings 5:17), under the superstitious notion that Jehovah, like the gods of the heathen, could be acceptably worshipped only on his own soil. (2). As the rendering of 'erets, it means the whole world (Genesis 1:2); the land as opposed to the sea (1:10). Erets also denotes a country (21:32); a plot of ground (23:15); the ground on which a man stands (33:3); the inhabitants of the earth (6:1; 11:1); all the world except Israel (2 Chronicles 13:9). In the New Testament "the earth" denotes the land of Judea (Matthew 23:35); also things carnal in contrast with things heavenly (John 3:31; Colossians 3:1, 2).

Primitive condition of
Genesis 1:6-7; Job 26:7; Psalms 104:5-9

Design of
Isaiah 45:18

Ancient notions concerning
1 Samuel 2:8; Job 9:6; Revelation 7:1

Cursed of God
Genesis 3:17-18; Romans 8:19-22

Circle of
Isaiah 40:22

God's footstool
Isaiah 66:1; Lamentations 2:1

Given to man
Psalms 115:16

Early divisions of
Psalms 1:10; Deuteronomy 32:8

Perpetuity of
Genesis 49:26; Deuteronomy 33:15; Psalms 78:69; Psalms 104:5; Ecclesiastes 1:4; Habakkuk 3:6

A new earth
Isaiah 65:17; Isaiah 66:22; Revelation 21:1

Created by God

General references
Genesis 1:1; 2 Kings 19:15; 2 Chronicles 2:12; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalms 90:2; Psalms 102:25; Psalms 115:15; Psalms 146:6; Proverbs 8:22-26; Isaiah 37:16; Isaiah 45:18; Jeremiah 10:12; Jeremiah 27:5; Jeremiah 32:17; Jeremiah 51:15; John 17:24; 2 Peter 3:5; Revelation 10:6; Revelation 14:7

By Christ
John 1:3; John 1:10; Hebrews 1:10
Creation; God, Creator

Destruction of
Psalms 102:25-27; Hebrews 1:10-12; Isaiah 24:19-20; Isaiah 51:6; Matthew 5:18; Matthew 24:3; Matthew 24:14; Matthew 24:29-31; Matthew 24:35-39; Mark 13:24-37; Luke 21:26-36; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 20:11; Revelation 21:1

The term is used in two widely-different senses: (1) for the material of which the earth's surface is composed; (2) as the name of the planet on which man dwells. The Hebrew language discriminates between these two by the use of separate terms, adamah for the former, erets for the latter.

1. Adamah is the earth in the sense of soil or ground, particularly as being susceptible of cultivation. (Genesis 2:7)
2. Erets is applied in a more or less extended sense

   (1) to the whole world, (Genesis 1:1) (2) to land as opposed to sea, (Genesis 1:10) (3) to a country, (Genesis 21:32) (4) to a plot of ground, (Genesis 23:15) and (5) to the ground on which a man stands. (Genesis 33:3) The two former senses alone concern us, the fairest involving an inquiry into the opinions of the Hebrews on cosmogony, the second on geography.

3. cosmogony.

   (1) The Hebrew cosmogony is based upon the leading principle that the universe exists, not independently of God, nor yet co-existent with God, nor yet in opposition to him as a hostile element, but dependently upon him, subsequently to him and in subjection to him. (2) Creation was regarded as a progressive work

   a gradual development from the inferior to the superior orders of things.

4. Geography.

   There seems to be traces of the same ideas as prevailed among the Greeks, that the world was a disk, (Isaiah 40:22) bordered by the ocean, with Jerusalem as its centre, like Delphi as the navel, or, according to another view, the highest point of the world. As to the size of the earth, the Hebrews had but a very indefinite notion.

EARTH, noun erth.

1. earth in its primary sense, signifies the particles which compose the mass of the globe, but more particularly the particles which form the fine mold on the surface of the globe; or it denotes any indefinite mass or portion of that matter. We throw up earth with a spade or plow; we fill a pit or ditch with earth; we form a rampart with earth This substance being considered, by ancient philosophers, as simple, was called an element; and in popular language, we still hear of the four elements, fire, air, earth, and water.

2. In chimistry, the term earth was, till lately, employed to denote a simple elementary body or substance, tasteless, inodorous, uninflammable and infusible. But it has also been applied to substances which have a very sensible alkaline taste, as lime. The primitive earths are reckoned ten in number, viz, silex, alumin, lime, magnesia, baryte, strontian, zircon, glucin, yttria and thorina. Recent experiments prove that most or all of them are compounds of oxygen with bases, some of which appear to possess the properties of metals. In this case the earths are to be considered as metallic oxyds.

3. The terraqueous globe which we inhabit. The earth is nearly spherical, but a little flatted at the poles, and hence its figure is called an oblate spheroid. It is one of the primary planets, revolving round the sun in an orbit which is between those of Venus and Mars. It is nearly eight thousand miles in diameter, and twenty five thousand miles in circumference. Its distance from the sun is about ninety five millions of miles, and its annual revolution constitutes the year of 365 days, 5 hours, and nearly 49 minutes.

4. The world, as opposed to other scenes of existence.

5. The inhabitants of the globe.

The whole earth was of one language. Genesis 11:1.

6. Dry land, opposed to the sea.

God called the dry land earth Genesis 1:1.

7. Country; region; a distinct part of the globe.

In this sense, land or soil is more generally used.

In scripture, earth is used for a part of the world. Ezra 1:2.

8. The ground; the surface of the earth He fell to the earth The ark was lifted above the earth

In the second month--was the earth dried. Gen 8.

9. In scripture, things on the earth are carnal, sensual, temporary things; opposed to heavenly, spiritual or divine things.

10. Figuratively, a low condition. Revelation 12:4.

11. [from ear, Latin aro, to plow.] The act of turning up the ground in tillage. [Not used.]

EARTH, verb transitive To hide in the earth

The fox is earthed.

1. To cover with earth or mold.

EARTH, verb intransitive To retire under ground; to burrow. Here foxes earthed.

EARTH'BAG, noun A bag filled with earth, used for defense in war.

EARTH'BANK, noun A bank or mound of earth.

EARTH'BOARD, noun The board of a plow that turns over the earth; the mold-board.

EARTH'BORN, adjective Born of the earth; terrigenous; springing originally from the earth; as the fabled earthborn giants.

1. Earthly; terrestrial.

All earthborn cares are wrong.

EARTH'BOUND, adjective Fastened by the pressure of the earth.

EARTH'BRED, adjective Low; abject; groveling.

EARTH-CREA'TED, adjective Formed of earth.

EARTH'EN, adjective erth'n. Made of earth; made of clay; as an earthen vessel; earthen ware.

See Pottery
Pottery

[POTTERY]

EARTH'FED, adjective Low; abject.

EARTH'FLAX, noun Amianth; a fibrous, flexile, elastic mineral substance, consisting of short interwoven, or long parallel filaments.

EARTH'INESS, noun The quality of being earthy, or of containing earth; grossness.

EARTH'LINESS, noun [from earthly.] The quality of being earthly; grossness.

1. Worldliness; strong attachment to worldly things.

EARTH'LING, noun An inhabitant of the earth; a mortal; a frail creature.

EARTH'LY, adjective Pertaining to the earth, or to this world.

Our earthly house of this tabernacle. 2 Corinthians 5:1.

1. Not heavenly; vile; mean,

This earthly load

Of death called life.

2. Belonging to our present state; as earthly objects; earthly residence.

3. Belonging to the earth or world; carnal; vile; as opposed to spiritual or heavenly.

Whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. Philippians 3:19.

4. Corporeal; not mental.

EARTHLY-MINDED, adjective Having a mind devoted to earthly things.

EARTHLY-MINDEDNESS, noun Grossness; sensuality; extreme devotedness to earthly objects.

EARTH'NUT, noun The groundnut, or root of the Arachis; a small round bulb or knob, like a nut. This root or bulb is formed from the germen, which becomes a pod and is thrust into the ground by a natural motion of the stalk.

It is properly the fruit of the plant, and differs from other fruit only in the circumstance of ripening in the earth.

EARTH'NUT, noun The pignut, or bunium; a globular root, somewhat resembling in taste a chestnut, whence it is called bulbocastanum.

Mentioned among the extraordinary phenomena of Palestine (Psalms 18:7; comp. Habakkuk 3:6; Nahum 1:5; Isaiah 5:25).

The first earthquake in Palestine of which we have any record happened in the reign of Ahab (1 Kings 19:11, 12). Another took place in the days of Uzziah, King of Judah (Zechariah 14:5). The most memorable earthquake taking place in New Testament times happened at the crucifixion of our Lord (Matthew 27:54). An earthquake at Philippi shook the prison in which Paul and Silas were imprisoned (Acts 16:26).

It is used figuratively as a token of the presence of the Lord (Judges 5:4; 2 Samuel 22:8; Psalms 77:18; 97:4; 104:32).

Earthquakes, more or less violent, are of frequent occurrence in Palestine. The most remarkable occurred in the reign of Uzziah. (Zechariah 14:5) From (Zechariah 14:4) we are led to infer that a great convulsion took place at this time in the Mount of Olives, the mountain being split so as to leave a valley between its summit. An earthquake occurred at the time of our Saviour's crucifixion. (Matthew 27:51-54) Earthquakes are not unfrequently accompanied by fissures of the earth's surface; instances of this are recorded in connection with the destruction of Korah and his company, (Numbers 16:32) and at the time of our Lord's death, (Matthew 27:51) the former may be paralleled by a similar occurrence at Oppido in Calabria A.D. 1783, where the earth opened to the extent of five hundred and a depth of more than two hundred feet.

EARTH'QUAKE, noun A shaking, trembling or concussion of the earth; sometimes a slight tremor; at other times a violent shaking or convulsion; at other times a rocking or heaving of the earth. Earthquakes are usually preceded by a rattling sound in the air, or by a subterraneous rumbling noise. Hence the name, earthdin, formerly given to an earthquake

General references
Job 9:6; Psalms 18:7; Psalms 46:2-3; Psalms 104:32; Jeremiah 4:24

As judgments
Psalms 18:15; Psalms 60:2; Isaiah 13:13-14; Isaiah 24:19-20; Isaiah 29:6; Nahum 1:5

Prophecies of
Ezekiel 38:19; Zech 14:4; Matthew 24:7; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11; Revelation 11:19

Instances of:

At Sinai
Exodus 19:18; Psalms 68:8; Psalms 77:18; Psalms 114:4-7; Hebrews 12:26

When Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were swallowed up
Numbers 16:31-32

When Jonathan and his armorbearer attacked the garrison at Gibeah
1 Samuel 14:15

When the Lord revealed Himself to Elijah in the still small voice
1 Kings 19:11

In Canaan, in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah
Amos 1:1; Zech 14:5

At the crucifixion of Jesus
Matthew 27:51

At the resurrection of Jesus
Matthew 28:2

When Paul and Silas were in prison at Philippi
Acts 16:26

Figurative
Psalms 60:2

Symbolic
Revelation 6:12-14; Revelation 11:13; Revelation 16:18; Revelation 16:20

EARTH'SHAKING, adjective Shaking the earth; having power to shake the earth.

EARTH'WORM, noun The dew worm, a species of Lumbricus; a worm that lives under ground.

1. A mean sordid wretch.

EARTH'Y, adjective Consisting of earth; as earthy matter.

1. Resembling earth; as an earthy taste or smell.

2. Partaking of earth; terrene.

3. Inhabiting the earth; terrestrial; as earthy spirits.

4. Relating to earth; as an earthy sign.

5. Gross; not refined; as an earthy conceit.

6. earthy fracture, in mineralogy, is when the fracture of a mineral is rough, with minute elevations and depressions.