What do the bible say about the shape of the earth?

Throughout the Bible, various cosmological descriptions reflect the worldview of the ancient Near East, where the text was written. While the Bible is primarily a theological and historical text rather than a modern scientific treatise, it contains several passages that reference the shape and structure of the earth:

1. The “Circle” of the Earth
   A frequently cited verse is Isaiah 40:22, which speaks of God “sitting above the circle of the earth.” The Hebrew word used here is chug, which translates to “circle” or “vault,” rather than the Hebrew word for a three-dimensional sphere (dur), though some modern readers interpret the poetic imagery as anticipating a round earth.
2. The Four Corners of the Earth
   Several passages refer to the “four corners of the earth” or the “ends of the earth” (e.g., Isaiah 11:12, Revelation 7:1). In ancient cosmology, this idiom was used metaphorically to describe the cardinal directions (north, south, east, west) and the utmost limits of the known world, rather than a literal square geometry.
3. Pillars of the Earth
   The Bible occasionally mentions the “pillars” of the earth (such as in 1 Samuel 2:8 and Job 9:6). In ancient Near Eastern cosmology, the earth was often viewed as a stationary structure resting upon foundations or pillars that kept it secure.
4. The Firmament and Domes
   Genesis 1 describes the creation narrative, using the term firmament (or expanse, Hebrew raqia) to describe a solid dome over the earth that separates the waters above from the waters below, reflecting the common ancient understanding of a structured cosmos.

Scholars generally agree that these descriptions are phenomenological—describing the earth as it appears to the human eye—and utilize the poetic and cultural language of the ancient world to convey theological truths about creation and divine sovereignty rather than proposing a scientific model of the universe.