Bible Dictionary
COUNTRY
Country may mean land, field, region, native land, or surrounding territory. Scripture uses it for geographical areas such as the hill country, low country, and Negeb, and figuratively for the heavenly country sought by believers.
Definition
Country may mean land, field, region, surrounding territory, native land, or a particular geographical district. Biblical usage includes mountainous, low, southern, distant, and surrounding regions, as well as a country understood figuratively as a desired homeland.
Biblical Usage
The word describes places such as the hill country, the western low country, the dry southern Negeb, Egypt, and Assyria. In Hebrews, heaven is referred to as a country sought by those who confess themselves strangers and pilgrims.
Historical Background
The hill country lay north or south of Jerusalem; the low country was the western foothills; and the Negeb was the dry southern part of Palestine between Beersheba and Kadesh-barnea.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>kun'-tri ('erets, "land," sadheh, "field"; agros, "field," chora, "region"): The foregoing are the principal words rendered "country" in English Versions of the Bible, though we find also 'adhamah, "earth" (Jon 4:2); 'i, "island" (Jer 47:4 the King James Version); gelilah, "circuit" (Eze 47:8 the King James Version); chebhel, "rope" (De 3:14); maqom, "place" (Ge 29:26 the King James Version); nepheth,"hill" or "height" (Jos 17:11 the King James Version); genos, "race" (Ac 4:36 the King James Version); ge, "earth" (Mt 9:31 the King James Version; Ac 7:3 the King James Version); patris, "native land" (Lu 4:23; Joh 4:44; Heb 11:14); perichoros, "country (the American Standard Revised Version "region") round about" (Mt 14:35; Lu 3:3; 4:37; 8:37). In Heb 11:14 ff, "heaven" is referred to as a country. Egypt and Assyria were "far countries" (Jer 8:19 the King James Version; Zec 10:9). The hill country (compare the numerous Gibeahs (gibh`ah, "a hill")) was the mountainous region to the North or to the South of Jerusalem. The low country, shephelah (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.</p><p>Alfred Ely Day</p>