ὁρο-θεσία G3734
appointed boundaries, fixed limits (of time, space, or circumstance)
This noun refers to boundaries that have been deliberately established or appointed. In Acts, Paul uses it to describe God's sovereign ordering of human habitation across time and geography. The term combines the concepts of limit-setting and divine intentionality. Multilingual evidence shows consistency: boundaries (English), límites (Spanish), limite (French). The word suggests not random borders but purposefully drawn lines that structure human existence according to divine wisdom.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Acts 17:26 describes God determining 'the boundaries of their dwelling,' referring to the appointed times and territorial limits for nations. Paul's Areopagus speech uses this term to counter notions of random human distribution, asserting instead that geography and chronology serve God's purpose: that people might seek him. The boundaries are not arbitrary but pedagogical. 1×
AR["حُدودَ"]·ben["সীমানাগুলি"]·DE["ὁροθεσίας"]·EN["boundaries"]·FR["limite"]·heb["גְּבוּלוֹת"]·HI["सीमाओं-को"]·ID["batas-batas"]·IT["limite"]·jav["wates"]·KO["경계들을"]·RU["пределы"]·ES["límites"]·SW["mipaka"]·TR["sınırlarını"]·urd["حدوں"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ὁρο-θεσία, ἡ, fixing of boundaries: in plural, limitations, boundaries:— NT+2nd c.BC+ __II ὁρο-θέσια, τά, Refs 2nd c.AD+ (boundary) occurs in Petr.Patr.p.433 Refs 4th c.BC+