Topical Bible: Goings

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Topical Encyclopedia

The term "goings" in the Bible often refers to the paths, movements, or ways of individuals, particularly in the context of their spiritual journey or moral conduct. It is a concept that underscores the importance of one's direction in life, both physically and spiritually, and is frequently associated with divine guidance and moral integrity.

Old Testament Usage

In the Old Testament, "goings" is often used to describe the physical movements or journeys of individuals or groups, as well as their moral and spiritual paths. For example, in Psalm 17:5, David prays, "My steps have held to Your paths; my feet have not slipped" . Here, "steps" and "paths" are synonymous with "goings," emphasizing the importance of adhering to God's ways.

Proverbs 16:9 states, "A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps" . This verse highlights the sovereignty of God in directing the "goings" of individuals, suggesting that while humans may make plans, it is ultimately God who guides their paths.

New Testament Usage

In the New Testament, the concept of "goings" is less frequently mentioned explicitly but is implicitly present in the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. The emphasis is on following the path of righteousness and walking in the light of Christ. For instance, in John 8:12, Jesus declares, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life" . Here, the idea of "walking" or "going" in the light signifies living according to the teachings and example of Jesus.

Spiritual and Moral Implications

The "goings" of a person are often reflective of their spiritual state and moral choices. In the biblical worldview, righteous goings are those aligned with God's will and commandments. Psalm 37:23-24 affirms, "The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey. Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand" . This passage reassures believers that God is actively involved in guiding their goings, providing stability and support even when they stumble.

Divine Guidance and Protection

The Bible frequently associates the concept of "goings" with divine guidance and protection. In Psalm 121:8, it is written, "The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore" . This promise of divine oversight assures believers of God's constant presence and care in all their movements and endeavors.

Conclusion

The biblical concept of "goings" encompasses both the physical and spiritual journeys of individuals. It serves as a reminder of the importance of aligning one's path with God's will, seeking His guidance, and trusting in His protection. Through the Scriptures, believers are encouraged to walk in righteousness, knowing that their steps are directed by the Lord.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

GOING; GOINGS

go'-ing, go'-ingz: Besides, occasionally, forms of the common words for "go" (see Go), for "going" and "goings," the Hebrew has 'ashshur ('ashur, 'ashur), "step," motsa', totsa'oth, "goings out," "outgoings." The word "goings" is sometimes used literally, as in Numbers 33:2, "Moses wrote their goings out" (Hebrew motsa'). "Going up," ma`aleh, is in many passages rendered in the Revised Version (British and American) (as in Numbers 34:4 2 Samuel 15:30 the King James Version) "ascent," as e.g. Joshua 15:7 Judges 1:36 Nehemiah 12:37 (the American Standard Revised Version only). In Ezekiel 44:5, the American Standard Revised Version substitutes "egress" (way out or place of exit) for "going forth." "The goings out (place of exit; hence, boundary) of it" (Numbers 34:4, 5, 9, 12 the King James Version) occurs frequently. The verbal forms bo', mabho', also me`al (Daniel 6:14), are used of the sunset, "the going down of the sun." Thus Joshua 8:29 the Revised Version (British and American), the King James Version "as soon as the sun was down."

In the New Testament, the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "going out" for "gone out" (sbennumi) (Matthew 25:8); "going up" for "ascending" (Luke 19:28); "going in" for "coming in" (Acts 9:28); "going about" for "wandering" (1 Timothy 5:13); "seeking" for "going about" (Romans 10:3).

Metaphorically: "Goings" is used for a man's ways or conduct (Psalm 17:5, the Revised Version (British and American) "steps"; Psalm 40:2 Proverbs 14:15, etc.). In Psalm 17:5 "Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not" becomes in the Revised Version (British and American) "My steps have held fast to thy paths, my feet have not slipped"; Proverbs 5:21, "He pondereth all his goings," is in the Revised Version (British and American) "He maketh level all his paths," in "weigheth carefully"; conversely, in Psalm 37:23, the Revised Version (British and American) has "goings" for "steps"; in James 1:11 "goings" for "ways." In the important prophetic passage, Micah 5:2, it is said of the Ruler from Bethlehem, "whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting," the Revised Version (British and American) "are from of old, from everlasting," margin "from ancient days." Of God it is said in Habakkuk 3:6 "His ways are everlasting," the Revised Version (British and American) "His goings were as of old," margin "His ways are everlasting."

W. L. Walker

Strong's Hebrew

4161. motsa -- a place or act of going forth, issue, export ...
... utterance (2), what goes (1). brought out, bud, that which came out, east,
going forth, goings out, outgoing. Or motsai {mo-tsaw'}; from ...
/hebrew/4161.htm - 6k

8445. Tovqhath -- father-in-law of Huldah
... borders, goings forth out, issues, outgoings. From the same as yiqqahah; obedience;
Tokahath, an Israelite -- Tikvath (by correction for Tiqvah). ...
/hebrew/8445.htm - 6k

4163. motsaah -- going forth
... Definition: forth. Word Origin fem. of motsa Definition going forth NASB Word
Usage goings forth (1). draught house; going forth. Feminine ...
/hebrew/4163.htm - 6k

Library

Psalm XL.
... What hath He done for thee? "He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of
the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings" (ver.2 ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xl.htm

Christ's Resurrection Song.
... cry. He brought me up also Out of an horrible pit, Out of the miry clay;
And set my feet upon a rock, Established my goings. And ...
/.../gaebelein/the lord of glory/christs resurrection song.htm

Psalm XLIV.
... "Neither have we behaved ourselves frowardly in Thy covenant.". "Our heart has not
turned back; and Thou hast turned aside our goings out of Thy way" (ver.18). ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xliv.htm

Introduction.
... I:answer: The miracles are mightier far than any goings on of nature as beheld by
common eyes, dissociating them from a living Will; but the miracles are ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macdonald/miracles of our lord/i introduction.htm

Concerted Prayer
... As they skirt a perilous precipice he cannot pray, Lord, hold up my goings in a
safe path, that my footsteps slip not, but as to my guide and companions, they ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/the essentials of prayer/xi concerted prayer.htm

Matt. Ii. 4, 5
... of flattery to the king. And what was this? That "His goings forth are
from of old, from everlasting.". 2. "But why," one may say ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily vii matt ii 4.htm

On the Person of the Father and the Son
... We say "that the Son was begotten of the Father from all eternity." (1.) Because
"his goings-forth have been from of old, from everlasting," and "these goings ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/disputation 5 on the person.htm

The Incarnation and Birth of Christ
... though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come
forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/the incarnation and birth of.htm

And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands ...
... Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall come
forth unto Me (one) [Pg 480] to be Ruler in Israel; and His goings forth are ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/chap v 1.htm

Of the Prophecy that is Contained in the Prayer and Song of ...
... eternity. "I saw His goings [made] eternal for his labors;" that is, I beheld
His labor of love not left without the reward of eternity. ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 32 of the prophecy that.htm

Thesaurus

Goings (42 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia GOING; GOINGS. go'-ing, go'-ingz: Besides,
occasionally, forms of the common words for "go" (see ...
/g/goings.htm - 22k

Going (2561 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) Departure. 4. (n.) Pregnancy; gestation; childbearing. 5. (n.) Course of
life; behavior; doings; ways. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. GOING; GOINGS. ...
/g/going.htm - 10k

Northern (18 Occurrences)
... Numbers 34:9 and the border shall go forth to Ziphron, and the goings out thereof
shall be at Hazar-enan; this shall be your north border. (See RSV). ...
/n/northern.htm - 12k

Termination (5 Occurrences)
... (WEY). Numbers 34:5 and the border shall turn about from Azmon to the brook of Egypt,
and the goings out of it shall be at the sea. (See NAS RSV). ...
/t/termination.htm - 8k

Passes (74 Occurrences)
... Joshua 15:4 And it passed along to Azmon, and went out at the Brook of Egypt; and
the goings out of the border were at the sea; this shall be your south border ...
/p/passes.htm - 28k

Boundary (83 Occurrences)
... Numbers 34:5 and the border shall turn about from Azmon unto the Brook of Egypt,
and the goings out thereof shall be at the Sea. (See RSV). ...
/b/boundary.htm - 30k

Border (233 Occurrences)
... Numbers 34:4 and your border shall turn about southward of the ascent of Akrabbim,
and pass along to Zin; and the goings out of it shall be southward of Kadesh ...
/b/border.htm - 40k

Journeys (12 Occurrences)
... Numbers 33:2 Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the
commandment of Yahweh: and these are their journeys according to their goings out. ...
/j/journeys.htm - 10k

Recorded (141 Occurrences)
... Numbers 33:2 Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the
commandment of Yahweh: and these are their journeys according to their goings out. ...
/r/recorded.htm - 39k

Beth-hor'on (12 Occurrences)
... Joshua 16:3 And it went down westward to the border of the Japhletites, unto the
border of Beth-horon the nether, even unto Gezer; and the goings out thereof ...
/b/beth-hor'on.htm - 9k

Resources

Who were the money changers in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean that the house of prayer had been turned into a den of thieves? | GotQuestions.org

Will we remember our earthly lives when we are in Heaven? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Goings (42 Occurrences)

James 1:11
For the sun ariseth with the scorching wind, and withereth the grass: and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his goings.
(ASV DBY)

Numbers 33:2
Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of Yahweh: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Numbers 34:4
and your border shall turn about southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass along to Zin; and the goings out of it shall be southward of Kadesh Barnea; and it shall go forth to Hazar Addar, and pass along to Azmon;
(WEB JPS ASV YLT)

Numbers 34:5
and the border shall turn about from Azmon to the brook of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV YLT)

Numbers 34:8
from Mount Hor you shall mark out to the entrance of Hamath; and the goings out of the border shall be at Zedad;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV YLT)

Numbers 34:9
and the border shall go forth to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazar Enan: this shall be your north border.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV YLT)

Numbers 34:12
and the border shall go down to the Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to its borders around it.'"
(WEB KJV JPS ASV YLT)

Joshua 15:4
From thence it passed toward Azmon, and went out unto the river of Egypt; and the goings out of that coast were at the sea: this shall be your south coast.
(KJV JPS ASV YLT)

Joshua 15:7
And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is before the going up to Adummim, which is on the south side of the river: and the border passed toward the waters of Enshemesh, and the goings out thereof were at Enrogel:
(KJV JPS ASV YLT)

Joshua 15:11
and the border went out to the side of Ekron northward; and the border extended to Shikkeron, and passed along to Mount Baalah, and went out at Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the sea.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV YLT)

Joshua 16:3
And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Bethhoron the nether, and to Gezer; and the goings out thereof are at the sea.
(KJV JPS ASV YLT)

Joshua 16:8
The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families.
(KJV JPS ASV YLT)

Joshua 17:9
And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river: these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also was on the north side of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea:
(Root in KJV JPS ASV YLT)

Joshua 17:18
But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.
(Root in KJV JPS ASV DBY YLT)

Joshua 18:12
And their border on the north side was from Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Bethaven.
(KJV JPS ASV YLT)

Joshua 18:14
And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Bethhoron southward; and the goings out thereof were at Kirjathbaal, which is Kirjathjearim, a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter.
(KJV JPS ASV YLT)

Joshua 19:14
And the border compasseth it on the north side to Hannathon: and the outgoings thereof are in the valley of Jiphthahel:
(Root in KJV JPS ASV YLT)

Joshua 19:22
And the coast reacheth to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Bethshemesh; and the outgoings of their border were at Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages.
(Root in KJV JPS ASV YLT)

Joshua 19:29
And then the coast turneth to Ramah, and to the strong city Tyre; and the coast turneth to Hosah; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib:
(Root in KJV JPS ASV YLT)

Joshua 19:33
And their coast was from Heleph, from Allon to Zaanannim, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakum; and the outgoings thereof were at Jordan:
(Root in KJV JPS ASV YLT)

Job 29:6
When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock 'is' with me rivulets of oil.
(YLT)

Job 34:21
"For his eyes are on the ways of a man. He sees all his goings.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS)

Psalms 17:5
Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT)

Psalms 37:23
A man's goings are established by Yahweh. He delights in his way.
(WEB JPS ASV)

Psalms 40:2
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

Psalms 68:20
Our ?God is the ?God of salvation; and with Jehovah, the Lord, are the goings forth even from death.
(DBY YLT)

Psalms 68:24
They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Psalms 140:4
Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
(KJV WBS)

Psalms 142:3
When my spirit is overcome, your eyes are on my goings; nets have been secretly placed in the way in which I go.
(BBE)

Proverbs 3:17
Her ways are ways of delight, and all her goings are peace.
(BBE)

Proverbs 5:21
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
(KJV BBE WBS)

Proverbs 20:24
Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
(KJV JPS ASV WBS)

Proverbs 30:29
There are three things whose steps are good to see, even four whose goings are fair:
(BBE)

Isaiah 59:8
The way of peace they don't know; and there is no justice in their goings: they have made them crooked paths; whoever goes therein does not know peace.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

Ezekiel 12:4
And thou hast brought forth thy vessels as vessels of removal by day before their eyes, and thou, thou dost go forth at even before their eyes, as the goings forth of a removal.
(YLT)

Ezekiel 35:7
And I will make Mount Seir a cause for wonder and a waste, cutting off from it all comings and goings.
(BBE)

Ezekiel 42:11
And the way before them was like the appearance of the chambers which were toward the north, as long as they, and as broad as they: and all their goings out were both according to their fashions, and according to their doors.
(KJV JPS DBY WBS)

Ezekiel 43:11
And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them.
(KJV JPS DBY WBS)

Ezekiel 48:30
And these are the goings out of the city on the north side, four thousand and five hundred measures.
(KJV JPS DBY WBS YLT)

Micah 5:2
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS)

Nahum 2:5
He doth remember his honourable ones, They stumble in their goings, They hasten 'to' its wall, and prepared is the covering.
(YLT)

Habakkuk 3:6
He stood, and measured the earth; He beheld, and drove asunder the nations; And the eternal mountains were scattered; The everlasting hills did bow; His goings were as of old.
(ASV JPS)

Subtopics

Goings

Related Terms

Gaulonitis

Bashan (54 Occurrences)

Refuge (111 Occurrences)

Tableland (8 Occurrences)

Table-land (8 Occurrences)

Ramoth (30 Occurrences)

Plateau (13 Occurrences)

Bezer (5 Occurrences)

Pasturelands (42 Occurrences)