Notes on the Biblical Meaning of the Four Compass Directions

East:
Genesis 2:8 First mention. The Garden was “eastward in Eden”.
Gen. 3:24 Angels with flaming sword guards the east portal of the garden.
Gen. 41:23 Pharaoh’s dream; east wind blasted seven lean ears of corn.
Ex. 10:13 East wind brings in the locust plague.
Ex. 14:21 East wind opens the Red Sea.
Ex. 27:13-14 The Tabernacle must face east.
Num. 3:38 Aaron and his sons (priesthood) camp adjacent to the east gate.
Num. 2:3 Judah, with Issachar and Zebulun (all Leah’s) camp directly east, “toward the rising of the sun”.
Jud. 6:3, 7:12, 8:10 Midianites and Amalekites “children of the east” attack Israel like “grasshoppers”.
Job 38:24 …the light parted, which scattereth the east wind.
Num 11:31 A wind brought quails from the sea (from the east).
Ezek. 8:16 Twenty-five men (priesthood) faces toward the east, worshipped the sun, their backs toward the temple.
Ezek. 47:1-3 Water flowed out from the threshold of the house eastward.
Hos. 13:15 …”an east wind shall come, the wind of the Lord” (judgment).
Jonah 4:8 “God prepared a vehement east wind” to beat on Jonah.
Matt. 24:27 “For as lightening cometh out of the east”…
Rev. 7:2 Angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God.
Rev 16:12 Kings of the east to come across the Euphrates.
Conclusion: The Mind of God, also incoming judgment from God.

South
Num. 2:1 The camp of Ruben with Simeon (Leah’s) and Gad (Leah’s maid Zilpah).
Num 3:29 Kohath “allied” of the Levites camp.
Job 37:9 “Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north”.
Job 37:17 …”he quieteth the earth by the south wind”.
Zech. 6:6 Grisled (spotted) horses go south.
Matt 12:42, Luke 11:31 The queen of the south shall arise.
Luke 12:55 The south wind will bring heat.
Conclusion: Favor, a warm wind.

West
Ex. 10:19 A west wind carried the locust plague back to the sea.
Num 3:23 Gershon “refugee” of Levites shall camp west of the tabernacle.
Num 2:18 Ephraim’s camp is central with other seed of Rachel, Manasseh and Benjamin on either side.
Ps. 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west”. A counterbalance as Leah and Rachel.
Is. 45:6 (also Is. 59:19, Zech. 7:7) The setting (final course) of the sun.
Zech. 14:4 Prophesies an east-west earthquake fissure (causing a separation).
Luke 12:54 A cloud that brings rain from the west.
1 Kings 18:41-45 Elijah’s cloud that brought rain and ended the drought.
Conclusion: A balance for the east, also a source of rain (blessing).

North
Num 2:25 Dan (“Judge or judgment”) camps north of the tabernacle with brother Naphtali, (both from Rachels’ handmaid Bilhah), and Asher from Leah’s Zilpah.
Num. 3:35 Levites Merari (“bitterness”) camps north next to the tabernacle.
Job 26:7 Mentions the empty space over the north.
Job 37:9-10, 22 Cold and frost come from the north.
Ps. 48:2 Mount Zion on the sides of the north.
Prov. 25:23 North wind brings rain…as anger.
Song Sol. 4:16 Invites the north and the south wind to blow and awaken.
Is. 14:13 “Sides of the north”(dwelling place of God’s throne).
Jer. 1:13-15Coming of trouble from the north.
Jer. 4:6; 47:2 Evil and destruction coming from the north.
Jer. 6:1, 6:22 Same as above, a cruel and unmerciful people coming.
Jer. 10:22, 13:20, 23:8, 31:8 etc. A place of captivity, exile.
Jer. 50:3,9,41; 51:48 Invaders
Ezek. 1:4 Whirlwind from N, 4 Creatures.
Ezek. 8:3-5 Image of Jealousy; v.14 women weeping for Tammuz.
Ezek. 9:2 Six men coming from N with slaughter weapons.
Ezek. 38:6 Last days invasion from Gog and Magog (also v. 15).
Zech. 6:1-8 Four chariot horses, black then white both go north.
Conclusion: Dwelling of the Most High God, also Judgment & Destruction (from God), Invasion and captivity. Somewhat a double meaning.

The Four Winds / Four Corners

Four Winds:
Jer. 49:36 Four winds prophesied against Elam from the four corners of heaven.
Ezek. 37:9 Prophecy to the four winds to bring the breath of life to the dry bones.
Dan. 7:2 Daniel’s dream, the four winds of heaven upon the great sea – four beasts come up from the sea.
Dan. 8:8 One horn of the he goat is broken and 4 others come up toward the 4 winds of heaven.
Dan. 11:4 Angel interpretation of 8:8; kingdom divided to the 4 winds of heaven.
Zech. 2:6 God had scattered Jerusalem to the four winds of heaven.
Matt. 24:31 Angels will gather the elect from the four winds of heaven.
Mark 13:27 Same as above – gathered from both earth and heaven.
Rev. 7:1 Angel is holding back the 4 winds of the earth, that it not blow…

Four Corners:
Job 1:19 A great wind smote the four corners of the house, killed the children.
Is. 11:12 Gathering of the dispersed of Judah from the 4 corners of the earth (lit the four wings).
Ezek. 7:2 “An end (judgment) is come upon the 4 corners of the land”.
Ezek 43:20, 45:19 Blood cleansing of the 4 corners of the alter and court.
Acts 10:11, 11:5 Peter’s vision of the sheet knit at the 4 corners.