be-yond': Found in the Hebrew only in its application to space and time, and for these ideas three words are employed: hale'ah (Ge 35:21) = "to the distance"; `abhar = "to go beyond" "to cross" derivative `ebher (Chald. `abhar) = "across," "beyond" (De 30:13;Jos 18:7;Jud 3:26;1Sa 20:36;2Ch 20:2;Ezr 4:17,20;Jer 25:22); and `al (Le 15:25) = "beyond the time." In the New Testament peran, is used to express "beyond" in the spatial sense (Mt 4:15), while other words and phrases are employed for adverbial ideas of degree: huperperissos (Mr 7:37); huper (2Co 8:3;10:16); kathuperbolen (Ga 1:13). In the King James Version be`eher, is occasionally translated "beyond," and when this word is joined to ha- yarden, "Jordan," as it usually is, it becomes critically important. In the American Standard Revised Version, be`ebher ha- yarden is translated "beyond the Jordan," inGe 50:10,21;De 3:20,25;Jos 9:10;Jud 5:17; "on this side Jordan" inDe 1:1,5;Jos 1:14,15; "on the other side Jordan" inDe 11:30;Jos 12:1;22:4;24:2,8(compare the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American),Jos 24:14,25; seeRIVER, THE),Jud 10:8;1Sa 31:7; and "on the side of Jordan" inJos 5:1. the American Standard Revised Version gives "beyond the Jordan" throughout. me`ebher, is used with ha-yarden inNu 34:15;35:14;Jos 13:32;Jud 7:25; and `ebher, alone inDe 4:49(the King James Version "on this side");Jos 13:27(the King James Version "on the other side"). It is clear that the phrase may be translate d "across Jordan"; that it is used of either side of the Jordan (De 3:8speaks of the eastern,De 3:20,25of the western); that "beyond Jordan" may be used of the side of the Jordan on which the writer stands (Jos 5:1;9:1;12:7); but from the fact thatDe 1:1,5;4:41,46,47,49, where statements are made about Moses, the reference is to the country East of the Jordan, while inDe 3:20,25;11:30, where Moses is represented as speaking, the West is indicated, critics have concluded that the author (at least of Deuteronomy) must have lived after Moses, being careful to distinguish between himself and the prophet.
Frank E. Hirsch