The term "south-west" is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible; however, understanding the cardinal directions is essential for interpreting biblical geography and events. The Bible often uses directions to describe the movement of people, the location of tribes, and the positioning of territories. The south-west direction can be inferred from the context of certain passages and the geographical understanding of the ancient Near East.

Geographical Context

In biblical times, the land of Israel was situated at the crossroads of major civilizations, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the west, the desert to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the lands of Mesopotamia to the north-east. The south-west direction would generally point towards Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula. This area was significant in biblical narratives, particularly in the accounts of the Exodus and the journeys of the patriarchs.

Biblical References

1. Exodus and Wilderness Wanderings: The Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land involved traveling in a north-easterly direction, which would have included movements towards the south-west at various points. The Bible describes the route taken by the Israelites as they left Egypt and wandered in the wilderness for forty years. While specific directions like "south-west" are not mentioned, the general movement from Egypt towards Canaan implies a south-western trajectory at the outset of their journey.

2. Solomon's Trade Routes: King Solomon's reign was marked by extensive trade and wealth accumulation. The Bible notes that Solomon's fleet sailed to Ophir, bringing back gold and other treasures (1 Kings 9:26-28). While the exact location of Ophir is debated, some scholars suggest it could be in the region of the Arabian Peninsula or Africa, which would involve south-western maritime routes from the port of Ezion-Geber on the Red Sea.

3. Prophetic Imagery: In prophetic literature, directions often carry symbolic meanings. For instance, the south is sometimes associated with Egypt, a place of refuge or oppression, depending on the context. The south-west, by extension, could symbolize a movement towards or away from Egypt, reflecting themes of deliverance or exile.

Cultural and Symbolic Significance

In biblical symbolism, directions can represent spiritual truths or divine actions. The south, often associated with warmth and light, contrasts with the north, which can symbolize darkness or judgment. The west, where the sun sets, might symbolize the end of a journey or the completion of a divine plan. Thus, the south-west could metaphorically represent a transition or a journey towards fulfillment or divine intervention.

Conclusion

While the Bible does not explicitly mention the south-west direction, understanding its geographical and symbolic implications enriches the study of biblical narratives and themes. The south-west, as a direction, connects to significant biblical events and locations, offering insights into the historical and spiritual journeys of God's people.3047. lips -- the southwest wind
... Probably from leibo (to pour a "libation"); the south(- west) wind (as bringing
rain, ie (by extension) the south quarter) -- southwest. (liba) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3047.htm - 6k

2834. Knidos -- Cnidus, a city on the SW coast of Asia Minor
... Feminine Transliteration: Knidos Phonetic Spelling: (knee'-dos) Short Definition:
Cnidus Definition: Cnidus, a town on the coast of Caria (south-west Asia Minor ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2834.htm - 6k

4499. Rhodos -- Rhodes, an island in the Mediterranean
... Feminine Transliteration: Rhodos Phonetic Spelling: (hrod'-os) Short Definition:
Rhodes Definition: Rhodes, an island in the Aegean sea, south-west of Asia ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4499.htm - 6k

3963. Patmos -- Patmos, an island in the Aegean Sea
... Transliteration: Patmos Phonetic Spelling: (pat'-mos) Short Definition: Patmos
Definition: Patmos, a small rocky island in the Aegean sea, south-west of Ephesus ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3963.htm - 6k

4484. Rhegion -- Rhegium, a city in southern Italy
... Noun, Neuter Transliteration: Rhegion Phonetic Spelling: (hrayg'-ee-on) Short
Definition: Rhegium Definition: Rhegium, a city in the south-west corner of Italy ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4484.htm - 6k

3558. notos -- the south wind, hence the southern quarter
... south wind. Of uncertain affinity; the south(-west) wind; by extension, the southern
quarter itself -- south (wind). (noton) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3558.htm - 6k

978. Bithunia -- Bithynia, a province in Asia Minor
... Phonetic Spelling: (bee-thoo-nee'-ah) Short Definition: Bithynia Definition: Bithynia,
a Roman province, north-west of Asia Minor and south-west of the Black ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/978.htm - 6k

2972. Kos -- Cos, an island in the Aegean Sea
... of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Kos Phonetic Spelling: (koce) Short
Definition: Cos Definition: Cos, an island in the Aegean Sea, south-west of Asia ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2972.htm - 6k

3460. Mura -- Myra, a city of Lycia
... Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: Mura Phonetic Spelling: (moo'-rah)
Short Definition: Myra Definition: Myra, a port in Lycia, south-west Asia Minor ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3460.htm - 6k

3484. Nain -- Nain, a village of Galilee
... Part of Speech: Proper Noun, Indeclinable Transliteration: Nain Phonetic Spelling:
(nah-in') Short Definition: Nain Definition: Nain, a city south-west of the ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3484.htm - 6k

7793. Shur -- a desert region Southwest of Pal. on E. border of ...
... 7792, 7793. Shur. 7794 . a desert region Southwest of Pal. on E. border of
Egypt. Transliteration: Shur Phonetic Spelling: (shoor) Short Definition: Shur. ...
/hebrew/7793.htm - 6k

4693. Matsor -- a country Southwest of the Red Sea
... 4692, 4693. Matsor. 4694 . a country Southwest of the Red Sea. Transliteration:
Matsor Phonetic Spelling: (maw-tsore') Short Definition: Egypt. ...
/hebrew/4693.htm - 6k

8396. Tabor -- a mountain Southwest of the Sea of Galilee, also ...
... 8395, 8396. Tabor. 8397 . a mountain Southwest of the Sea of Galilee,
also several other places in Isr. Transliteration: Tabor ...
/hebrew/8396.htm - 6k

3923. Lachish -- a Canaanite city Southwest of Jer.
... 3922, 3923. Lachish. 3924 . a Canaanite city Southwest of Jer. Transliteration:
Lachish Phonetic Spelling: (law-keesh') Short Definition: Lachish. ...
/hebrew/3923.htm - 6k

2011. Hinnom -- a valley Southwest of Jer.
... 2010, 2011. Hinnom. 2012 . a valley Southwest of Jer. Transliteration: Hinnom
Phonetic Spelling: (hin-nome') Short Definition: Ben-hinnom. ...
/hebrew/2011.htm - 6k

3220. yam -- sea
... Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely)
the south -- sea (X -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern, side, -ward ...
/hebrew/3220.htm - 6k

Early Christianity in Other Parts of These Islands. --Ninian in ...
... Early Christianity in other parts of these islands."Ninian in the south-west of
Scotland."Palladius and Patrick in Ireland."Columba in Scotland ...
/.../lecture iii early christianity in.htm

The Fourth and Fifth Falls of Jesus.
... The procession was still at some distance from the south-west gate, which was large,
and attached to the fortifications, and the street was rough and steep; it ...
/.../the dolorous passion of our lord jesus christ/chapter xxxv the fourth and.htm

Acts XXVII
... the majority advised to depart thence, so as, if possible, to reach Phoenix, and
spend the winter there, a harbor of Crete looking to the south-west and north ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xxvii.htm

To the Rev. Andrew Brandram
... It has five gates; before that to the south-west is the principal promenade of the
inhabitants; the fair on St. John's Day is likewise held there. ...
/.../borrow/letters of george borrow/to the rev andrew brandram.htm

The Voyage to England
... It blew a proper hurricane; which beginning at southwest, then went west, northwest,
north, and, in a quarter of an hour, round by the east to the southwest ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/the voyage to england.htm

The Girdle of the City. Nehemiah 3
... Near the corner, looking south-west, we suppose, the fountain of Siloam was; and
that, partly, being persuaded by the words of Josephus before alleged,"partly ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 26 the girdle of.htm

Appendix 1 Massecheth Middoth
... That on the south-west was the chamber of offering; that on the south-east the chamber
of the shew-bread; on the north-east, there the Asmoneans deposited the ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/appendix 1 massecheth middoth.htm

Chapter viii
... peak Masis, may take the other traditional view, offered by the Targum, that it
was the "Kardu mountains," ie, the mountains in Kurdistan, southwest of Lake Van ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter viii.htm

Chapter x
... "Madai" are the Medes, found southeast of Magog and southwest of the Caspian Sea. ...
"Raamah" seems to be a tribe of Sabaeans in southwest Arabia. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter x.htm

Attitude as to Church-Fellowship.
... also over against the Synods of South Carolina, Virginia, and South West Virginia. ...
12.) And, when, in 1848, the Western Virginia Synod (Southwest Virginia Synod ...
/.../bente/american lutheranism/attitude as to church-fellowship.htm

South-west (1 Occurrence)
South-west. Southward, South-west. Sovereign . Multi-Version Concordance
South-west (1 Occurrence). Acts 27:12 And because ...
/s/south-west.htm - 6k

Phoenix (2 Occurrences)
... limena tes Kretes) bleponta kata liba kai kata choron, a description which has been
translated in two ways: (1) "looking toward the Southwest wind and toward ...
/p/phoenix.htm - 12k

Rephaim (32 Occurrences)
... position in the valley of Rephaim, on the west and south-west of Jerusalem. ...
Ashterothkarnaim (Genesis 14:5) and in the valley of Rephaim Southwest of Jerusalem ...
/r/rephaim.htm - 21k

Ramah (38 Occurrences)
... It is probably identical with the modern er-Rameh, a large Christian village on
the highway from Cafed to the coast, about 8 miles West-Southwest of that city. ...
/r/ramah.htm - 26k

Northeast (1 Occurrence)
... south-east." the Revised Version margin has, "Greek, down the south-west wind and ...
limena tes Kretes bleponta (looking) kata liba (the southwest wind) kai kata ...
/n/northeast.htm - 8k

Anab (2 Occurrences)
... It lies among the hills, 10 miles south-south-west of Hebron. Int. ... In the list it
follows Debir, from which it was a short distance to the Southwest. ...
/a/anab.htm - 7k

Soco (3 Occurrences)
... sides (South, West, and North), and is isolated from the ridge of higher ground
to the East by a narrow neck of lower ground. In the valley to the Southwest is ...
/s/soco.htm - 10k

Southeast (2 Occurrences)
... south-east." the Revised Version margin has, "Greek, down the south-west wind and ...
limena tes Kretes bleponta (looking) kata liba (the southwest wind) kai kata ...
/s/southeast.htm - 8k

Socoh (4 Occurrences)
... sides (South, West, and North), and is isolated from the ridge of higher ground
to the East by a narrow neck of lower ground. In the valley to the Southwest is ...
/s/socoh.htm - 10k

Nebo (13 Occurrences)
... of the Dead Sea, near its northern end, and about 5 miles south-west of Heshbon. ...
the passages indicated is on the ridge of Jebel Neba to the Southwest of Hesban ...
/n/nebo.htm - 17k

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