Definition:
Overreach refers to the act of going beyond what is reasonable or acceptable, often in an attempt to gain an advantage or achieve a goal. In a biblical context, overreach can manifest as pride, ambition, or deceit, leading individuals to exceed their rightful boundaries or authority.

Biblical Instances and Principles:

1. Pride and Ambition:
Overreach is often driven by pride and ambition, which the Bible warns against. Proverbs 16:18 states, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." This verse highlights the danger of overreaching due to pride, as it ultimately leads to downfall.

2. Deceit and Manipulation:
Overreach can also involve deceit and manipulation to achieve one's ends. In the account of Jacob and Esau, Jacob overreaches by deceiving his father Isaac to receive the blessing meant for Esau (Genesis 27). This act of overreach leads to family strife and long-term consequences.

3. Authority and Power:
The Bible provides guidance on the proper use of authority and power, warning against overreach. In 1 Peter 5:2-3, leaders are instructed to "shepherd the flock of God among you, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not lording it over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock." This passage emphasizes servant leadership and cautions against the overreach of authority.

4. Contentment and Trust in God:
Overreach often stems from a lack of contentment and trust in God's provision. Hebrews 13:5 advises, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: 'Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.'" Trusting in God's promises helps believers avoid the temptation to overreach in pursuit of material gain.

5. Warnings Against Overreach:
The Bible contains several warnings against overreach, particularly in the context of wealth and power. In 1 Timothy 6:9-10, Paul warns, "Those who want to be rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." This passage underscores the spiritual dangers associated with overreaching for wealth.

6. Humility and Submission:
Scripture encourages humility and submission to God's will as antidotes to overreach. James 4:10 instructs, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you." By submitting to God's authority and timing, believers can avoid the pitfalls of overreach.

Theological Implications:

Overreach is a manifestation of human sinfulness and the desire to control one's destiny apart from God's guidance. It reflects a lack of faith and reliance on God's sovereignty. The Bible consistently calls believers to humility, contentment, and trust in God's provision, warning against the dangers of overreaching in pursuit of personal ambition or gain. Through the examples of biblical figures and direct teachings, Scripture provides a framework for understanding the consequences of overreach and the virtues that counteract it.1. (v. t.) To reach too far; to defeat oneself by setting a goal too high.

2. (v. t.) To deceive, or get the better of, by artifice or cunning; to outwit; to cheat.

3. (v. i.) To reach too far

4. (v. i.) To strike the toe of the hind foot against the heel or shoe of the forefoot; -- said of horses.

5. (v. i.) To sail on one tack farther than is necessary.

6. (v. i.) To cheat by cunning or deception.

7. (n.) The act of striking the heel of the fore foot with the toe of the hind foot; -- said of horses.

4122. pleonekteo -- to have more, to overreach
... to have more, to overreach. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: pleonekteo Phonetic
Spelling: (pleh-on-cek-teh'-o) Short Definition: I take advantage of ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4122.htm - 7k

5233. huperbaino -- to step over, transgress
... huperbaino Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-er-bah'-ee-no) Short Definition: I transgress,
go beyond Definition: I transgress; I go beyond, overreach, defraud. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5233.htm - 6k

6117. aqab -- to follow at the heel, assail insidiously ...
... aqab. 6118 . to follow at the heel, assail insidiously, circumvent, overreach.
Transliteration: aqab Phonetic Spelling: (aw-kab') Short Definition: craftily. ...
/hebrew/6117.htm - 6k

The Eighth Commandment
... He takes thrice as much for an article as it cost him, or as it is worth.
To overreach others in selling, is to steal money from them. ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 8 the eighth commandment.htm

Abraham
... He believed that God was helping him; therefore he had no need to oppress
or overreach any man. He believed that God's eye was on ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon v abraham.htm

The Olivet Message.
... For that business man down in the sharp competition of the world where duty calls
him, to resist the sly temptations to overreach, to keep keenly alert not to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on power/the olivet message.htm

The Preaching of Nature.
... and sold. To some the world is like a chess-board, where each man plays
a selfish game, and tries to overreach his neighbour. To ...
/.../the life of duty a years plain sermons v 2/sermon l the preaching of.htm

Chapter i.
... of knowledge, not the knowledge of the Holy Spirit, but that which the prince of
this world works, and which he conveys to men in order to overreach their souls ...
//christianbookshelf.org/dionysius/the works of dionysius/chapter i.htm

Then Maximian Returned into Gaul; and after Having Made Some Stay ...
... as he had done twice before, and returned into Gaul, with a heart full of wickedness,
and intending by treacherous devices to overreach Constantine, who was ...
/.../chap xxix then maximian returned.htm

Against Marcionists and Manich??ans.
... 1. I lately inflicted a severe stroke upon those who are grasping and wish to overreach
others; [629] I did this not in order to wound them but in order to ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/against marcionists and manichaeans.htm

The Almost Christian
... away their neighbour's goods, either by robbery or theft; not to oppress the poor,
neither to use extortion toward any; not to cheat or overreach either the ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 2 the almost christian.htm

"But if Ye have Bitter Envying," &C.
... let a notion of religion, and one far off from an interest in Christ be in the business,
and then he can take advantage to make a man overreach himself in it. ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon v but if ye.htm

But You Will Perhaps Say that the King was a Diviner. ...
... anticipating [4300] what Jupiter"whom [4301] he overreached"was going to say, could
the god not know in what ways a man was preparing to overreach him? ...
/.../the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/4 but you will perhaps.htm

Overreach (1 Occurrence)
...Overreach (1 Occurrence). Leviticus 25:14 And if ye sell ought unto your neighbour,
or buy of your neighbour's hand, ye shall not overreach one another. (DBY). ...
/o/overreach.htm - 7k

Overreached (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Overreach. Multi-Version Concordance
Overreached (1 Occurrence). Ezekiel 22:12 In thee have ...
/o/overreached.htm - 6k

Outwit (3 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To surpass in wisdom, esp. in cunning; to
defeat or overreach by superior craft. 2. (n.) The faculty ...
/o/outwit.htm - 7k

Overran (3 Occurrences)

/o/overran.htm - 7k

Grease (1 Occurrence)
... 4. (vt) To bribe; to corrupt with presents. 5. (vt) To cheat or cozen; to overreach.
6. (vt) To affect (a horse) with grease, the disease. Int. ...
/g/grease.htm - 7k

Isaac (127 Occurrences)
... loving will." His life was so quiet and uneventful that it was spent "within the
circle of a few miles; so guileless that he let Jacob overreach him rather ...
/i/isaac.htm - 60k

Reach (63 Occurrences)
... advanced to. 11. (vt) To understand; to comprehend. 12. (vt) To overreach;
to deceive. 13. (vi) To stretch out the hand. 14. (vi ...
/r/reach.htm - 27k

Do (21637 Occurrences)
... 9. (vt / auxiliary) To cheat; to gull; to overreach. 10. (vt / auxiliary) To see
or inspect; to explore; as, to do all the points of interest. 11. ...
/d/do.htm - 8k

Go (17871 Occurrences)
... 4:6), "not (to go) beyond the things which are written"; for "that no man go beyond"
(1 Thessalonians 4:6), "transgress," margin "overreach"; for "Let us go on ...
/g/go.htm - 19k

Overreaching (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Overreach. Multi-Version
Concordance Overreaching (2 Occurrences). 1 Thessalonians ...
/o/overreaching.htm - 7k

What does 1 Timothy 3:15 mean when it says that the church is the pillar and foundation of the truth? | GotQuestions.org

Overreach: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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