Original Word: βορρᾶς
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: borras
Pronunciation: bor-RAHS
Phonetic Spelling: (bor-hras')
KJV: north
NASB: north
Word Origin: [of uncertain derivation]

1. the north (properly, wind)

north.

Of uncertain derivation; the north (properly, wind) -- north.

Word Origin
of uncertain origin
Definition
north
NASB Translation
north (2).STRONGS NT 1005: βορρᾶς

βορρᾶς, βορρᾶ (Winers Grammar, § 8, 1; Buttmann, 20 (18)), ὁ (equivalent to βορέας, βορέου), often (in Attic writings), in the Sept. for צָפון;

1. Boreas; the north-northeast wind.

2. the north: Luke 13:29; Revelation 21:13 (cf. Winer's Grammar, 121 (115) under the word μεσημβρία).

Overview

Strong’s Greek 1005, βορρᾶς (borras), denotes the “north” or “north wind.” In Scripture the term is limited to two New Testament occurrences but stands upon a rich Old Testament backdrop in which “north” functions geographically, theologically, and eschatologically. Its New Testament usage serves to declare both the gospel’s universality and the ordered perfection of the new creation.

Biblical Occurrences and Immediate Context

1. Luke 13:29

“People will come from the east and west and north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.”

Here βορρᾶς enriches Jesus’ vision of the messianic banquet. The direction “north” completes a four-point compass signaling that the invitation of salvation is global. Luke’s placement emphasizes the fulfillment of prophetic promises such as Isaiah 43:6 and Psalm 107:3, affirming that God gathers His people from every extremity.

2. Revelation 21:13

“There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west.”

Within the New Jerusalem each side of the city wall bears an equal number of gates. βορρᾶς contributes to the symmetry that testifies to God’s impartial access. The directional detail confirms the consummation of Jesus’ Luke 13 declaration: the redeemed from every quarter now enter the eternal city.

Old Testament and Jewish Background

• Geopolitically, danger often approached Israel “from the north” (Jeremiah 1:14; Ezekiel 26:7), yet God also promised to redeem from the same quarter (Isaiah 43:6).
• Cosmologically, the ancients located the throne of God “in the far north” (Psalm 48:2), highlighting majesty and transcendence.
• Liturgically, Temple sacrifices were prepared on the altar’s north side (Leviticus 1:11), associating “north” with approaches to God.

Symbolic and Theological Themes

Universal Inclusion: By naming βορρᾶς alongside east, west, and south, Scripture affirms that the gospel overcomes every regional, ethnic, or cultural boundary.

Ordered Perfection: In Revelation 21, equal distribution of gates underscores divine order; βορρᾶς participates in a design reflecting holiness and completeness.

Transformation of Threat: What once signified invasion (Jeremiah 4:6) becomes, in Christ, an avenue of blessing. The north no longer brings only judgment but now welcomes pilgrims to Zion.

Eschatological Significance

Luke 13 anticipates, and Revelation 21 fulfills, the in-gathering of the elect. βορρᾶς stands as a witness that the eschaton reverses the curse of Babel and completes the Abrahamic promise that “all families of the earth” will be blessed (Genesis 12:3). The directional motif assures believers that every compass point will yield citizens for the eternal kingdom.

Christological Fulfillment

Jesus embodies Isaiah 49:12 (“These will come from afar; … and these from the land of Sinim”) by proclaiming a banquet open to the north. His cross and resurrection secure the right of northern nations—indeed all nations—to “recline at the table.” The resurrected Lord commissions disciples to be His “witnesses … to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8), implicitly including βορρᾶς territory.

Ministry and Missional Applications

• Evangelism: βορρᾶς encourages outreach to every people group, reminding the church that no land lies outside God’s redemptive aim.
• Worship: Hymns and liturgies may draw on Luke 13:29 and Revelation 21:13 to celebrate global fellowship.
• Pastoral Care: The transformation of the “threatening north” into a gate of glory comforts believers facing hostile environments; God can invert opposition into opportunity.

Key Related Passages for Study

Isaiah 43:6; Psalm 107:3; Jeremiah 1:14; Ezekiel 20:47; Acts 1:8; Revelation 7:9.

Conclusion

Though βορρᾶς appears only twice in the Greek New Testament, it connects vast biblical themes: divine gathering, covenant faithfulness, and the harmony of the new creation. The north, once emblematic of peril, now stands forever as one of the four welcome gates through which nations stream to enjoy the everlasting fellowship of God and the Lamb.

βορέαν βορέας βορρα βορρά βορρᾶ βορράν βόσκημα βοσκήματα βοσκημάτων borra borrâInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts

Luke 13:29 N-GMS
GRK: καὶ ἀπὸ βορρᾶ καὶ νότου
NAS: and west and from north and south,
KJV: from the north, and
INT: and from north and south

Revelation 21:13 N-GMS
GRK: καὶ ἀπὸ βορρᾶ πυλῶνες τρεῖς
NAS: gates on the north and three
KJV: gates; on the north three gates;
INT: and on [the] north gates three

Strong's Greek 1005
2 Occurrences

βορρᾶ — 2 Occ.