arachnophilia,
A question since you know more about the bible than I ever cared to find out.
In the OP there is this quote:
It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
and spreads them like a tent to live in;
But in one of your posts you have this quote:
Isa 40:22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
If "the circle of the earth" is the outside rim of a flat disk earth the first quote makes sense. The second quote says he's sitting on "the circle of the earth" which means he's on the horizon if we go with the same flat disk earth. That doesn't make much sense.
Does the Hebrew word being translated as "above" and "upon" shed any light on this? Upon, at least in English, connotes physical contact, while above does not.
Since these people believed the sky was a solid dome, the movement of the sun, moon, and planets would trace a semicircle on the inside of this dome. What do you think about the idea that "the circle of the earth" might be a phrase meaning the ecliptic? God being upon or above it would still give him the same grasshopper view. Or do you think this idea too complex for the ancient Hebrews?
Thanks
™ Version 4.2