COUNTRY (אֶ֫רֶץ, H824, earth, land, הַר, H2215, mountain, hill, שָׂדֶה, H8441, open field; χώρα, G6001, land, region, ἀγρός, G69, field, πατρίς, G4258, fatherland). Found 233 times in KJV and 275 times in RSV. In the NT, renderings in the two VSS correspond closely, and in the OT the chief difference lies in RSV’s “hill country” for the Heb. har in place of KJV’s “mount” or “mountain.” “Hill country” is used particularly in conjunction with Israel’s conquest of her Promised Land (Num-Judg; e.g., “the hill country of Ephraim”). “Open country” most often characterizes Moab and Philistia. “North country” locates the approach of Judah’s Mesopotamian enemies in Jeremiah. “East country” is a reference to Arabia (Gen 25:6). “The east country” along with “the west country” is also the place from which Israel will be regathered (Zech 8:7). The pl. “countries” in the prophets (also “far countries”) is a further description of Israel’s place of dispersion, and from here they will some day return to their land. “The kingdoms of the countries” denotes the totality of the earth. The two principle NT ideas of “country” picture a country as a nation and a country as a rural community, the opposite of a city.