Metaphysical meaning of Shur (mbd)
Shur, shûr (Heb.)--going round about; traversing; journeying; surrounding; inclosing; looking around; spying; observing; surveying; considering; regarding; beholding; wall; fortification; lier-in-wait; enemy, i. e., between the walls- ox; bullock. Most of the foregoing are developed from the one idea of going round about. Ox is developed from the idea of going round and round in plowing a field.
A wilderness and a city between Palestine and Egypt (Exod. 15:22; I Sam. 15:7). In Numbers 33:8 "the wilderness of Shur" is called "the wilderness of Etham."
Meta. The never ceasing progress, unfoldment, and development of man (going round about, journeying, looking around, surveying, considering, and so forth). Man has ever moved in cycles, apparently, in his evolution (history repeats itself); but each time that he seems to come again to his starting place he is a little in advance of his former state. When he begins to awaken spiritually his progress is more rapid. There is also a thought of strength and might in this that Shur signifies (wall, fortification, ox). Abraham "dwelt between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar" (Gen. 20:1), Gerar signifying subjective substance and life. Thus Abraham had on one hand Kadesh--the inherently pure, sinless, ideal state that exists in the depths of the consciousness of every individual--and on the other hand Shur (unceasing progress) while he had his existence in life and substance. Thus does faith (typified by Abraham) develop in the spiritually awakening individual.
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Preceding Entry: Shuppim
Following Entry: Shushan
