Under
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The term "under" in the Bible often signifies a position of subordination, protection, or judgment. It is used in various contexts, both literal and metaphorical, to convey spiritual truths and practical realities.

1. Subordination and Authority: The concept of being "under" is frequently associated with authority and submission. In Romans 13:1, the Apostle Paul instructs believers to be subject to governing authorities, emphasizing that all authority is established by God: "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God." This reflects the biblical principle of order and hierarchy, where individuals are called to respect and submit to those in positions of leadership.

2. Protection and Refuge: The imagery of being "under" God's protection is a recurring theme in Scripture. Psalm 91:1-2 beautifully illustrates this: "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'" Here, being "under" God's shadow signifies a place of safety and security, highlighting His role as a protector and provider for His people.

3. Judgment and Consequence: The Bible also uses "under" to describe the state of being under judgment or consequence due to sin. In Galatians 3:10, Paul writes, "For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.'" This passage underscores the futility of attempting to achieve righteousness through the law, as it places individuals under a curse due to their inability to fully comply with its demands.

4. Servitude and Bondage: The notion of being "under" can also refer to servitude or bondage. In Galatians 4:3, Paul speaks of being "under the basic principles of the world" before coming to faith in Christ: "So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world." This highlights the spiritual bondage experienced before receiving the freedom found in Christ.

5. Christ's Authority: The New Testament frequently emphasizes that all things are "under" Christ's authority. Ephesians 1:22 states, "And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church." This affirms the supremacy of Christ over all creation and His role as the head of the Church, to whom all believers are subject.

6. Humility and Service: The call to humility is often expressed through the concept of being "under" others in service. In 1 Peter 5:5, believers are exhorted to "clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." This passage encourages a posture of humility, recognizing one's position under God's mighty hand and in service to others.

In summary, the term "under" in the Bible encompasses a range of meanings, from subordination and protection to judgment and servitude. It serves as a reminder of the believer's relationship to God, authority, and fellow humans, emphasizing themes of submission, refuge, and humility.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (prep.) Below or lower, in place or position, with the idea of being covered; lower than; beneath; -- opposed to over; as, he stood under a tree; the carriage is under cover; a cellar extends under the whole house.

2. (prep.) Denoting relation to some thing or person that is superior, weighs upon, oppresses, bows down, governs, directs, influences powerfully, or the like, in a relation of subjection, subordination, obligation, liability, or the like; as, to travel under a heavy load; to live under extreme oppression; to have fortitude under the evils of life; to have patience under pain, or under misfortunes; to behave like a Christian under reproaches and injuries; under the pains and penalties of the law; the condition under which one enters upon an office; under the necessity of obeying the laws; under vows of chastity.

3. (prep.) Denoting relation to something that exceeds in rank or degree, in number, size, weight, age, or the like; in a relation of the less to the greater, of inferiority, or of falling short.

4. (prep.) Denoting relation to something that comprehends or includes, that represents or designates, that furnishes a cover, pretext, pretense, or the like; as, he betrayed him under the guise of friendship; Morpheus is represented under the figure of a boy asleep.

5. (prep.) Less specifically, denoting the relation of being subject, of undergoing regard, treatment, or the like; as, a bill under discussion.

6. (adv.) In a lower, subject, or subordinate condition; in subjection; -- used chiefly in a few idiomatic phrases; as, to bring under, to reduce to subjection; to subdue; to keep under, to keep in subjection; to control; to go under, to be unsuccessful; to fail.

7. (a.) Lower in position, intensity, rank, or degree; subject; subordinate; -- generally in composition with a noun, and written with or without the hyphen; as, an undercurrent; undertone; under dose; under-garment; under officer; undersheriff.

Greek
5284. hupopleo -- to sail under (ie under the lee of)
... to sail under (ie under the lee of). Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: hupopleo
Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-op-leh'-o) Short Definition: I sail under Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5284.htm - 6k

5295. hupotrecho -- to run in under
... to run in under. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: hupotrecho Phonetic Spelling:
(hoop-ot-rekh'-o) Short Definition: I run under shelter of Definition: I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5295.htm - 6k

5259. hupo -- by, under
... by, under. Part of Speech: Preposition Transliteration: hupo Phonetic Spelling:
(hoop-o') Short Definition: by, under, about Definition: by, under, about. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5259.htm - 7k

5293. hupotasso -- to place or rank under, to subject, mid. to ...
... 5292, 5293. hupotasso. 5294 . to place or rank under, to subject, mid. ... 5293
(from 5259 , "under" and 5021 , "arrange") -- properly, "God's," ie (His plan). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5293.htm - 9k

5297. hupophero -- to bear by being under, to endure
... to bear by being under, to endure. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: hupophero
Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-of-er'-o) Short Definition: I endure, suffer ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5297.htm - 7k

5270. hupokato -- below, under
... below, under. Part of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: hupokato Phonetic Spelling:
(hoop-ok-at'-o) Short Definition: underneath Definition: underneath, below ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5270.htm - 6k

2709. katachthonios -- under the earth
... under the earth. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: katachthonios Phonetic
Spelling: (kat-akh-thon'-ee-os) Short Definition: under the earth ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2709.htm - 6k

5299. hupopiazo -- to strike under the eye
... to strike under the eye. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: hupopiazo Phonetic
Spelling: (hoop-o-pee-ad'-zo) Short Definition: I bruise, worry, exhaust ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5299.htm - 7k

5217. hupago -- to lead or bring under, to lead on slowly, to ...
... to lead or bring under, to lead on slowly, to depart. Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: hupago Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-ag'-o) Short Definition: I go away ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5217.htm - 8k

5294. hupotithemi -- to place under, lay down, mid. to suggest
... 5293, 5294. hupotithemi. 5295 . to place under, lay down, mid. to suggest.
Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: hupotithemi Phonetic ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5294.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew
8460. techoth -- under
... 8459, 8460. techoth. 8461 . under. Transliteration: techoth Phonetic
Spelling: (tekh-oth') Short Definition: under. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/8460.htm - 6k

2001b. Haman -- a Pers. leader serving under Ahasuerus
... a Pers. leader serving under Ahasuerus. Transliteration: Haman Short Definition:
Haman. ... leader serving under Ahasuerus NASB Word Usage Haman (50), Haman's (4). ...
/hebrew/2001b.htm - 5k

5663. Ebed Melek -- "servant of a king," an official under King ...
... "servant of a king," an official under King Zedekiah. Transliteration: Ebed Melek
Phonetic Spelling: (eh'-bed meh'-lek) Short Definition: Ebed-melech. ...
/hebrew/5663.htm - 6k

2477. Chalach -- an area under Assyr. control
... 2476, 2477. Chalach. 2478 . an area under Assyr. ... Word Origin probably of foreign
origin Definition an area under Assyr. control NASB Word Usage Halah (3). ...
/hebrew/2477.htm - 6k

2764a. cherem -- devoted thing, devotion, ban
... 2764, 2764a. cherem. 2764b . devoted thing, devotion, ban. Transliteration:
cherem Short Definition: under. Word Origin from charam ...
/hebrew/2764a.htm - 6k

3533. kabash -- to subdue, bring into bondage
... 1), brought them into subjection (2), forced into bondage (1), forcing (1), subdue
(1), subdued (5), subjugate (1), trample (1), tread our under foot (1 ...
/hebrew/3533.htm - 6k

7650. shaba -- to swear
... Usage adjure (6), curse (1), exchanged oaths (1), made a covenant (1), made an oath
(1), promised on oath (1), promised them by oath (1), put the under oath (1 ...
/hebrew/7650.htm - 6k

8478. tachath -- underneath, below, instead of
... 8477, 8478. tachath. 8479 . underneath, below, instead of. Transliteration:
tachath Phonetic Spelling: (takh'-ath) Short Definition: under. Word Origin a prim ...
/hebrew/8478.htm - 6k

5541. calah -- to make light of, toss aside
... tread down under foot, value A primitive root; to hang up, ie Weigh, or (figuratively)
contemn -- tread down (under foot), value. 5540, 5541. calah. 5541a ...
/hebrew/5541.htm - 5k

947. bus -- to tread down, trample
... loath, tread down, under foot, be polluted. A primitive root; to trample (literally
or figuratively) -- loath, tread (down, under (foot)), be polluted. ...
/hebrew/947.htm - 6k

Library

Under the Fig-Tree.
... UNDER THE FIG-TREE. ... It is evident that something had occurred with Nathanael under
the fig -tree outside the common details of every-day life. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/orr/how to live a holy life/under the fig-tree.htm

Under his Shadow.
... UNDER HIS SHADOW. ... TO ABOUT A SCORE BRETHREN."He that dwelleth in the secret place
of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.""Psalm 91:1. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/till he come/under his shadow.htm

Let those of us who are under the Rod, be Very Solicitous to ...
... 4. LET those of us who are under the Rod, be very solicitous to improve
it aright, that in the End it may indeed be well. HEAR, my ...
/.../submission to divine providence in the death of children/4 let those of us.htm

Prosperity under Persecution
... Prosperity Under Persecution. A Sermon (No.997). Delivered by. CH SPURGEON,.
At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington. "Come on let ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/prosperity under persecution.htm

Under the Olive Trees.
... Jesus' Habits of Prayer Under the Olive Trees. The twelfth mention is
made by Luke, chapter twenty-two. It is Thursday night of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on prayer/under the olive trees.htm

Under the Trials of this Life.
... Songs of the Cross and Consolation. UNDER THE TRIALS OF THIS LIFE. Full
often as I meditate Upon the world's disorder'd state, I ...
/.../gerhardt/paul gerhardts spiritual songs/under the trials of this.htm

Of the Conditions under which the Bodies of the Damned Will Rise ...
... OF THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THE BODIES OF THE DAMNED WILL RISE AGAIN (THREE
ARTICLES). ... Under this head there are three points of inquiry: ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/of the conditions under which.htm

Under the Ban of Theodosius and of the Latrocinium.
... IV."Under the Ban of Theodosius and of the Latrocinium. Theodoret was at
Antioch when Count Rufus brought him the edict. His friends ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/iv under the ban of theodosius.htm

"I Waked under Water"
... Chapter 1. Wesley as a Missionary to Georgia "I Waked Under Water". Sunday,
April 4."About four in the afternoon I set out for ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/i waked under water.htm

Whether the Whole Christ is Contained under Each Species of this ...
... OF THE WAY IN WHICH CHRIST IS IN THIS SACRAMENT (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether the
whole Christ is contained under each species of this sacrament? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the whole christ is 2.htm

Thesaurus
Under (4325 Occurrences)
... 1. (prep.) Below or lower, in place or position, with the idea of being covered;
lower than; beneath; -- opposed to over; as, he stood under a tree; the ...
/u/under.htm - 8k

Under-part (1 Occurrence)
Under-part. Underneath, Under-part. Underparts . Multi-Version
Concordance Under-part (1 Occurrence). Job 28:5 The earth! ...
/u/under-part.htm - 6k

Under-winevat (1 Occurrence)
Under-winevat. Underwent, Under-winevat. Underworld . Multi-Version
Concordance Under-winevat (1 Occurrence). Mark 12 ...
/u/under-winevat.htm - 6k

Under-girding (1 Occurrence)
Under-girding. Undergirding, Under-girding. Undergo . Multi-Version
Concordance Under-girding (1 Occurrence). Acts 27 ...
/u/under-girding.htm - 6k

Sockets (44 Occurrences)
... Exodus 26:19 You shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two
sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets under another ...
/s/sockets.htm - 20k

Subjection (40 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The act of bringing under the dominion
of another; the act of subduing. 2. (n.) The state of being ...
/s/subjection.htm - 18k

Knob (4 Occurrences)
... Exodus 25:35 and a knob under two branches of it, and again a knob under two branches
of it, and again a knob under two branches of it, for the six branches ...
/k/knob.htm - 8k

Knop (4 Occurrences)
... Exodus 25:35 And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop
under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same ...
/k/knop.htm - 9k

Subdue (26 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To bring under; to conquer by force or the exertion of superior power, and
bring into permanent subjection; to reduce under dominion; to vanquish. ...
/s/subdue.htm - 15k

Subdued (41 Occurrences)
... 1 Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the
Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God ...
/s/subdued.htm - 19k

Resources
What does it mean that there is nothing new under the sun? | GotQuestions.org

Why did oaths involve putting a hand under someone's thigh (Genesis 24:9)? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean that Christians are not under the law? | GotQuestions.org

Under: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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Under (4325 Occurrences)

Under occurs 4325 times in 12 translations.

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Subtopics

Under

Related Terms

Under-part (1 Occurrence)

Under-winevat (1 Occurrence)

Under-girding (1 Occurrence)

Sockets (44 Occurrences)

Subjection (40 Occurrences)

Knob (4 Occurrences)

Knop (4 Occurrences)

Subdue (26 Occurrences)

Subdued (41 Occurrences)

Vessel (118 Occurrences)

Spirituality

Subjected (18 Occurrences)

Sanabassarus

Supervision (5 Occurrences)

Sanabassar

Shelter (36 Occurrences)

Ashtoreth (3 Occurrences)

Subdueth (6 Occurrences)

Shreds (2 Occurrences)

Slopes (15 Occurrences)

Subdues (6 Occurrences)

Sink (16 Occurrences)

Spreading (74 Occurrences)

Astoreth

Springs (59 Occurrences)

Astarte (2 Occurrences)

Hermon (16 Occurrences)

Vexation (36 Occurrences)

Zeru'iah (24 Occurrences)

Sela (5 Occurrences)

Asaph (47 Occurrences)

Shade (67 Occurrences)

Soldiers (83 Occurrences)

Striving (33 Occurrences)

Scroll (70 Occurrences)

Asherah (40 Occurrences)

Vanity (100 Occurrences)

Version

Kedesh (12 Occurrences)

Kiln (5 Occurrences)

Axes (10 Occurrences)

Ashdoth-pisgah (3 Occurrences)

Armenian

Apostles'

Assailants (7 Occurrences)

Arvad (2 Occurrences)

Arvadites (1 Occurrence)

Artemis (5 Occurrences)

Ashdothpisgah (3 Occurrences)

Apollonius

Agrapha

Ascend (86 Occurrences)

Saws (4 Occurrences)

Shines (15 Occurrences)

Sentence (53 Occurrences)

Shrubs (4 Occurrences)

Slaughtering (14 Occurrences)

Soles (14 Occurrences)

Sailing (23 Occurrences)

Sixteen (24 Occurrences)

Shineth (13 Occurrences)

Supported (43 Occurrences)

Soul (554 Occurrences)

Slain (235 Occurrences)

Salamis (1 Occurrence)

Sidon (35 Occurrences)

Shadow (72 Occurrences)

Zeruiah (25 Occurrences)

Apparel (38 Occurrences)

Arch (24 Occurrences)

Shallum (27 Occurrences)

Stick (47 Occurrences)

Shouldest (79 Occurrences)

Shemaiah (40 Occurrences)

Shiloah (1 Occurrence)

Armenia (2 Occurrences)

Siloah (1 Occurrence)

Undependable
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