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Gap

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.

GREEK · G25

ἀγαπάω

agapaō — to love

ἀγαπάω, -ῶ, [in LXX chiefly for אהב ;] to love, to feel and exhibit esteem and goodwill to a person, to prize and delight in a thing. 1. Of human affection, to men: τ. πλησίον, Mat.5:43; τ. ἐχθρούς, ib. 44; to Christ, Jhn.8:42; to God, Mat.22:37; with accusative of thing(s), Luk.11:43, Jhn.12:43, Eph.5:25, II Tim 4:8, 10, Heb.1:9, 1Pe.2:17, 3:10, 2Pe.2:15, 1Jn.2:15, Rev.12:11. 2. Of divine love; (a) God's love: to men, Rom.8:37; to Christ, Jhn.3:35; (b) Christ's love: to men, Mrk.10:21; to God, Jhn.14:31; with cogn. accusative, Jhn.17:26, Eph.2:4. SYN.: φιλέω. From its supposed etymology (Thayer, LS; but see also Boisacq) ἀ. is commonly understood properly to denote love based on esteem (diligo), as distinct from that expressed by φιλέω (amo), spontaneous natural affection, emotional and unreasoning. If this distinction holds, ἀ. is fitly used in NT of Christian love to God and man, the spiritual affection which follows the direction of the will, and which, therefore, unlike that feeling which is instinctive and unreasoned, can be commanded as a duty. (Cf. ἀγάπη, and v. Tr., Syn. §xii; Cremer, 9, 592; and esp. MM, VGT, see word) (AS)

110 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G26

ἀγάπη

agapē — love

ἀγάπη, -ης, ἡ [in LXX for אַהֲבָה, which is also rendered by ἀγάπησις and φιλία ;] love, goodwill, esteem. Outside of bibl. and eccl. books, there is no clear instance (with Deiss., LAE, 18:4, 70:2, cf. the same writer in Constr. Quar., ii, 4; and with MM, VGT, see word, cf. Dr. Moulton in Exp. Times, xxvi, 3, 139). In NT, like ἀγαπάω, -ῶ, 1. Of men's love: (a) to one another, Jhn.13:35; (b) to God, 1Jn.2:5. 2. Of divine love; (a) God's love: to men, Rom.5:8; to Christ, Jhn.17:26; (b) Christ's love to men: Rom.8:35. 3. In pl., love feasts: Ju 12 (DB, iii, 157). SYN.: φιλία. ἀ., signifying properly (see: ἀγαπάω) love which chooses its object, is taken over from LXX, where its connotation is more general, into NT, and there used exclusively to express that spiritual bond of love between God and man and between man and man, in Christ, which is characteristic of Christianity. It is thusdistinct from φιλία, friendship (Jas.4:4 only), στοργή, natural affection (in NT only in compounds, see: ἄστοργος) and ἔρως, sexual love, which is not used in NT, its place being taken by ἐπιθυμία. (Cf. ἀγαπάω; and see Abbott, Essays, 70f.; DB, vol. i., 555; Cremer, 13, 593; MM, VGT, see word). (AS)

106 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G27

ἀγαπητός

agapētos — beloved

ἀγαπητός, -ή, -όν (ἀγαπάω), [in LXX chiefly for יָתִיד, יָדִיד ;] beloved (see M, Pr., 221); (a) by God: of Christ, Mat.3:17; of men, Rom.1:7; (b) by Christians, of one another: 1Co.4:14; frequently as form of address, ib. 10:14; opposite to ἐχθρός, Rom.11:28 (see AR, Eph., 229; Cremer, 17; MM, VGT, see word). (AS)

60 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H5062

נָגַף

na.gaph — to strike

1) to strike, smite 1a) (Qal) to strike, smite 1b) (Niphal) to be stricken, be smitten 1c) (Hithpael) to stumble

46 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6556

פֶּ֫רֶץ

pe.rets — breach

1) breach, gap, bursting forth 1a) bursting forth, outburst 1b) breach 1c) broken wall 1d) outburst (fig. of God's wrath)

16 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1187

בַּ֫עַל פְּעוֹר

ba.al pe.or — Baal of Peor

Baal-peor = "lord of the gap" the deity worshipped at Peor with probable licentious rites Another name of ba.al (בַּעַל "Baal" H1168A)

5 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1610

גַּף

gaph — single/height

1) body, self (only in phrase, eg by himself) 2) height, elevation

3 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H7779

שׁוּף

shuph — to bruise

1) to bruise, crush, gape upon, desire?, seize?, strike out? 1a) (Qal) to fall upon, bruise

3 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6474

פַּעֲרַי

pa.a.ray — Paarai

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Sa.23.35 § Paarai = "gaping" the Arbite, son of Ezbai and one of David's mighty warriors

1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G6825

διαδύνω

diadunō — to penetrate

1. to slip through a hole or gap, (Thucydides): absolute to slip through, slip away , (Herdotus Historicus) 2. with accusative to evade, shirk , (Demosthenes Orator) (ML)

0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

Historical dictionary entry

A rent or opening in a wall (Ezek. 13:5; comp. Amos 4:3). The false prophets did not stand in the gap (Ezek. 22: 30), i.e., they did nothing to stop the outbreak of wickedness.

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 Gap in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →