Bible Dictionary
CLOSE
To close may mean to shut, fold, restrain, hide, or make inaccessible. Biblical uses include closing a book, restraining people, shutting eyes, closing openings, and keeping silent.
Definition
To close means to shut, fold, restrain, hide, wall up, or make inaccessible. The term may also describe keeping silent or remaining concealed.
Biblical Usage
Scripture speaks of closing a book, folding something up, closing eyes, restraining, hiding, closing openings, keeping close, and holding peace. “Close places” may mean fortified holds shut in by high walls.
Historical Background
The English word represents several Hebrew and Greek terms with distinct senses, including burning, hardening, hedging, restraining, folding, hiding, and silence.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>kloz, klos verb, adjective and adverb, (kacah, caghar; kammuo): Other words are charah, "to burn"; "Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar?" (Jer 22:15 the King James Version), the Revised Version (British and American) "strivest to excel in cedar," margin "viest with the cedar"; atsam, "to harden"; "Yahweh has closed your eyes" (Isa 29:10); gadhar, "to hedge" or "wall up" (Am 9:11); `atsar, "to restrain" (Ge 20:18). In Lu 4:20, ptusso, "to fold up." the Revised Version (British and American) has "was closed," margin "is opened," for "are open" (Nu 24:3,15), "closed" for "narrow" or "covered" (Eze 40:16; 41:16,26). To "keep close," sigao (Lu 9:36), the Revised Version (British and American) "held their peace." We have also "kept close" (the Revised Version (British and American) Nu 5:13; Hebrew cathar, "to hide"); also Job 28:21; "kept himself close," the Revised Version, margin "shut up" (1Ch 12:1); "close places," micgereth (2Sa 22:46; Ps 18:45 = "castles or holds shut in with high walls").</p><p>W. L. Walker</p>