Question 1

What does "Compass" mean in the King James Bible?

Accepted Answer

In the KJV, "Compass" means "go around." The active, strategic encirclement. When Israel compassed Jericho, they performed a deliberate, complete, sacred circuit -- not a casual stroll around the perimeter. The verb compass conveyed military precision and ritual purpose. 'We fetched a compass' meant they sailed a curved course, not that they retrieved a navigation device.

Question 2

Why did the word "Compass" disappear from modern English?

Accepted Answer

Narrowed from the verb 'to circle around/surround/encompass' and the noun 'a circling path' to primarily the magnetic navigation instrument, obscuring the active, encircling meaning. The word was at peak usage around 1611 and declined by ~1750.

Question 3

What modern word replaced "Compass"?

Accepted Answer

"Compass" was replaced by: "surround" (though this static; compass-as-verb implied active, deliberate circling with purpose); "encircle" (though this closer but lacks the strategic dimension; compassing a city was a military maneuver); "go around" (though this casual; compass carried the formality of a deliberate, complete circuit).

What Does “Compass” Mean in the Bible?

What Was Lost