About
About as 'Around' in the Old Testament
In the Old Testament, "about" frequently functions as a preposition meaning "around" or "surrounding." When the Israelites camped in the wilderness, the tribes were arranged "about" the tabernacle (Numbers 2:2), meaning they surrounded it on all sides. The walls of Jericho fell down flat after the Israelites marched "about" the city for seven days (Joshua 6:20). God's protective presence is described in spatial terms: "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people" (Psalm 125:2). This usage conveys the idea of encirclement, whether for protection, siege, or sacred organization.
About as 'Approximately' in the New Testament
In the New Testament, "about" most commonly translates the Greek words hos or hosei, meaning "approximately" or "as if." The feeding of the five thousand involved "about five thousand men" (Matthew 14:21). Jesus was "about thirty years of age" when he began his ministry (Luke 3:23). The group in the upper room before Pentecost numbered "about a hundred and twenty" (Acts 1:15). This usage introduces a note of estimation, reminding readers that biblical writers were honest about the limits of precise counting in large gatherings and were not fabricating exact figures.
About to Happen: Imminent Events
A particularly important use of "about" involves the Greek word mello, which describes something on the verge of occurring. Modern translations often render this as "about to." Paul was "about to be brought into the barracks" when he asked to address the crowd (Acts 21:37). The dragon stood before the woman "about to give birth" (Revelation 12:4). Gamaliel warned the Sanhedrin to be careful "about" what they were going to do with the apostles (Acts 5:35). This usage creates a sense of narrative urgency, placing the reader at the threshold of significant events.
About God's Business
Jesus used "about" in one of the most theologically significant statements of his youth. When his parents found him in the temple at age twelve, he replied, "Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?" (Luke 2:49, KJV). This declaration, the first recorded words of Jesus, established his sense of divine mission and his unique relationship to God the Father. The phrase "about my Father's business" (or "in my Father's house" in other translations) set the trajectory for his entire ministry.
The Versatility of Biblical Language
The varied uses of "about" in Scripture demonstrate the flexibility and precision of biblical language. Whether describing the physical arrangement of Israel's camp around the tabernacle, giving approximate numbers for a crowd, signaling the imminence of a critical event, or expressing Jesus's devotion to his Father's purposes, this small word carries significant weight in helping readers understand the spatial, temporal, and spiritual dimensions of the biblical narrative.
Biblical Context
The word 'about' appears throughout both Testaments. In the Old Testament, it primarily functions as a spatial preposition meaning 'around' (Numbers 2:2; Joshua 6:20; Psalm 125:2). In the New Testament, it commonly translates Greek words for approximation (Luke 3:23; Acts 1:15) and imminence (Acts 5:35; Revelation 12:4). Luke 2:49 contains a theologically significant use in Jesus's first recorded words.
Theological Significance
The various uses of 'about' in Scripture reveal how biblical writers understood space, time, and divine purpose. God's presence 'about' his people speaks to his protective encirclement. The imminence expressed by 'about to' underscores the urgency of God's actions in history. Jesus being 'about' his Father's business establishes the principle that human life finds its ultimate meaning in alignment with God's purposes.
Historical Background
The shift in how 'about' functions between the Old and New Testaments partly reflects the different languages underlying each. Hebrew often uses spatial prepositions concretely, describing physical arrangement and movement. Greek offers more flexibility for expressing approximation and imminence. The KJV and other early English translations sometimes used 'about' in ways that have since been clarified by modern translations, which distinguish more carefully between spatial, approximate, and temporal meanings.