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Comforter

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H4505

מְנַחֵם

me.na.chem — Menahem

A king of the Kingdom of Israel, living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.15.14; son of: Gadi (H1424); father of: Pekahiah (H6494) § Menahem = "comforter" son of Gadi and king of the northern kingdom of Israel; slew the usurper Shallum to ascend the throne and reigned for ten years; contemporary with prophets Hosea and Amos

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GREEK · G3875

παράκλητος

paraklētos — counsellor

παρά-κλητος, -ον (παρακαλεω), [in Aq., Th.: Job.16:2 * ;] called to one's aid in a judicial cause (Dion. Cass.); hence, most frequently as subst., ὁ π., an advocate, pleader, intercessor (Dem., al.; so in Rabbinic lit., פְּרַקְלִיטָא), "a friend of the accused person, called to speak to his character, or otherwise enlist sympathy in his favour" (Field, Notes, 102). In NT, specif., ὁ π., (a) of Christ, 1Jn.2:1 (see ICC, Jo. Epp., 23 ff.); (b) of the Holy Spirit (AV, comforter; but see opp. with), Jhn.14:16, 26 15:26 16:7 (cf. also Abbott, Essays, 86, 97; Deiss., LAE, 339 f.; MM, xviii; Westc., Jo., ii, 188) (AS)

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Historical dictionary entry

The designation of the Holy Ghost (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7; R.V. marg., “or Advocate, or Helper; Gr. paracletos”). The same Greek word thus rendered is translated “Advocate” in 1 John 2:1 as applicable to Christ. It means properly “one who is summoned to the side of another” to help him in a court of justice by defending him, “one who is summoned to plead a cause.” “Advocate” is the proper rendering of the word in every case where it occurs. It is worthy of notice that although Paul nowhere uses the word paracletos, he yet presents the idea it embodies when he speaks of the “intercession” both of Christ and the Spirit (Rom. 8:27, 34).

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Comforter in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →