Do not move the ancient boundary stone, which your fathers have set up.
KJV
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
Commentary
Commentary
Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set. Or, "the ancient border" or "boundary" (n); by which lands, estates, and inheritances, were marked, bounded, and distinguished; set by ancestors in agreement with their neighbours; which to remove was contrary to a law, and a curse is denounced upon those that did it,
Deu 19:14
; and was always reckoned a very heinous crime in early times; See Gill on
Job 24:2
. This was so sacred a thing among the Romans, that they had a deity which presided over those bounds, and had its name from them. Some apply this, in a political sense, to laws of long standing, and customs of long prescription; and others interpret it, in a theological sense, of doctrines and practices settled by the fathers of the church; which, if understood of Christ and his apostles only, will be allowed; but if of the ancient fathers of the church that followed them, it should not be received; since they were but fallible men, and guilty of many errors and mistakes, both in doctrine and practice.
(n) "terminum antiquum", Pagninus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Michaelis, Schultens.
Commentary
Commentary