Are Words Up And Down In Scripture always referring to elevation?

Jerry · April 3

Has anyone ever read anything definitive on whether the words "up" and "down" in the Bible always refer to elevation when referring to physical places (ie. cities, mountains, areas, etc.)? This is something I have wondered for a while, and started to trace those two words throughout the Bible. Unfortunately, there are a lot of places that are hard to figure out exactly where they are or their elevation - so I have a general impression that my theory is right, but not completely.

Nowadays, we use phrases like "I'm going up to the store, or down to the mall" - which are not usually references to whether we are going up hills or down hills, etc. But in the Bible, it seems they always use the words in a certain way when speaking of geography (and it is usually the Lord talking or speaking through someone, so they are not figures of speach). It is always going DOWN to Egypt and coming UP out of Egypt, UP to Jerusalem, DOWN to the nearby cities and the coast. I see many other instances of this in the Bible - and cannot recall a place saying "going UP to ..." then in a parallel passage "going DOWN to ..." to show they are using the terms interchangeably.

This may seem like a stupid question - but it is one I have wondered for years, tried to find out, and filed in the back of my mind until I could get a more definitive answer. Any thoughts? Has anyone read a commentary or book where they address this?

heartstrings · April 4

Job 2: 2And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

First of all, would God need to ask Satan where he came from? No

But would He ask since this needed to be written for us to read? Yes

Second- Is Satan primarily concerned with "walking up and down" through the layers of dirt, rock and magma of a physical planet? No.

I suspect that this passage, as in most of the Book of Job, is speaking in metaphors. So this is how I interpret it (at this time).

The "earth" would be the heart or soul of mankind.

"Walking" would be how Satan conducts himself

"Up" would represent the appearance of good/morality

"Down" would be the revelation of blatant evil

"To" would mean Satan is entering someone

and "Fro" would mean leaving.

So, Satan sometimes influences people via subtle appearances wherein he makes things look right when they're not. Other times, the evil is blatant and obvious.

So, I would say that "up" means ascending to a higher place, whether it be physically or morally/spiritually, and "down" would be the opposite. Hence, going "down" into Egypt is not a good thing.

Edited April 4 by heartstrings

SureWord · April 5

"Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire." - Ezekiel. 28:14

"Up and Down" means exactly that. Up some topography and down some topography. It probably is referring to places of worship in old times being built on top of mountains and hills. Today, they can be built "up and down".

heartstrings · April 8

Here's another example using the same word for "walking" used in Job 1:7 and 2:2. In the following passage of scripture, all three words; "walking", "standing" and "sitting" are clearly speaking of our "manner of life"; not physical actions. The same word is used in "Enoch walked with God" and "Noah walked with God". Both of these are also speaking of their manner of life; not physically "walking". Just to let you know I wasn't completely making something up. I believe the word "up" is sometimes used metaphorically as well with "up" having positive connotations and "down" being the negative. Perhaps when I get some more time I will study this further.

Psalm 1

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; And in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That bringeth forth his fruit in his season; His leaf also shall not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: But the way of the ungodly shall perish.