### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **tâʼar**, represented by `{{H8388}}`, is a primitive root that means to delineate, extend, be drawn, or mark out. It appears 7 times across 5 unique verses in the Bible. The word's usage centers on the act of outlining or defining a shape, whether it is a physical object being crafted or a geographical boundary being established.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H8388}}` is used in two distinct contexts. The first is in the act of craftsmanship, where a carpenter `{{H2796}}` **marketh it out** twice when creating an idol, first with a line `{{H8279}}` and then with a compass `{{H4230}}`, fashioning it into the figure `{{H8403}}` of a man `{{H376}}` [[Isaiah 44:13]]. The second context, found exclusively in the book of Joshua, relates to the surveying and establishing of tribal land boundaries. Here, the word is repeatedly used to state that a border `{{H1366}}` **was drawn** to define the inheritance of the tribes, such as when the border **was drawn** from the top of a hill `{{H2022}}` to the fountain `{{H4599}}` of the water `{{H4325}}` of Nephtoah `{{H5318}}` [[Joshua 15:9]] or when it **was drawn** to Shicron `{{H7942}}` [[Joshua 15:11]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the contexts in which **tâʼar** is used:
* `{{H1366}}` **gᵉbûwl** (border, bound, coast): This noun is the direct object of the action in the geographical passages. The act of `{{H8388}}` is to draw a **border**, establishing a clear and defined territory [[Joshua 18:14]].
* `{{H2796}}` **chârâsh** (craftsman, workman): This term identifies the person who performs the action of marking out. In Isaiah, the **carpenter** is the one who **marketh it out** `{{H8388}}` to create a figure [[Isaiah 44:13]].
* `{{H8403}}` **tabnîyth** (figure, form, likeness, pattern): This word describes the intended outcome of the delineation. The carpenter **marketh it out** `{{H8388}}` in order to make something after the **figure** of a man [[Isaiah 44:13]].
* `{{H8444}}` **tôwtsâʼâh** (goings out, issues, border): This term often specifies the endpoints or final limits of a border that **was drawn** `{{H8388}}`. For example, the **goings out** of the border were at the sea `{{H3220}}` [[Joshua 15:11]].
* `{{H4230}}` **mᵉchûwgâh** (compass): This noun specifies a tool used for delineation. The craftsman uses a **compass** to **mark out** `{{H8388}}` the idol, indicating a precise act of creation [[Isaiah 44:13]].
### Theological Significance
The conceptual weight of `{{H8388}}` lies in its application to both human creation and divine allocation.
* **The Folly of Idolatry:** The detailed description in [[Isaiah 44:13]] of a craftsman carefully **marking out** an idol serves to expose the foolishness of worshipping man-made objects. The process shows that the idol is nothing more than a piece of wood `{{H6086}}` shaped by human hands and tools.
* **Divine Delineation of Inheritance:** In Joshua, the term underscores God's sovereignty in allotting the Promised Land. The borders are not arbitrary; they are meticulously **drawn** to specific landmarks like Bethhoron `{{H1032}}` and the stone `{{H68}}` of Bohan `{{H932}}`, signifying God's precise and deliberate fulfillment of His covenant promises to the tribes of Israel, including Judah `{{H3063}}` and the sons `{{H1121}}` of Reuben `{{H7205}}` ([[Joshua 18:14]], [[Joshua 18:17]]).
* **Establishing Order:** The act of **marking out** brings order from chaos. Geographically, it establishes clear territories and possessions. Theologically, it contrasts the order of God's plan for His people with the vanity of humans attempting to delineate and create their own deities.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H8388}}` **tâʼar** is a precise verb for outlining and defining. While it can describe the technical skill of a craftsman fabricating an idol [[Isaiah 44:13]], its primary biblical function is to articulate the establishment of the sacred and national boundaries of Israel's tribes in the book of Joshua [[Joshua 15:9]]. The word powerfully contrasts the futile human act of "marking out" a lifeless god with the sovereign divine act of "marking out" a living inheritance for His people.