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Oracle

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 · H7592

שָׁאַל

sha.al — to ask

1) to ask, enquire, borrow, beg 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to ask, ask for 1a2) to ask (as a favour), borrow 1a3) to enquire, enquire of 1a4) to enquire of, consult (of deity, oracle) 1a5) to seek 1b) (Niphal) to ask for oneself, ask leave of absence 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to enquire, enquire carefully 1c2) to beg, practise beggary 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to be given on request 1d2) to grant, make over to, let (one) ask (successfully) or give or lend on request (then) grant or make over to Aramaic equivalent: she.el (שְׁאֵל "to ask" H7593)

156 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G4396

προφήτης

prophētēs — prophet

προφήτης, -ου, ὁ [πρόφημι, to speak forth), [in LXX chiefly for נָבִיא ;] one who acts as an interpreter or forth-teller of the Divine will (see Lft., Notes, 83f.; Tr., Syn., §vi), a prophet; 1. in cl. (Æsch., Hdt., Plat., al.), of the interpreters of oracles. 2. In NT, (a) of the OT prophets: Mat.5:12, Mrk.6:15, Luk.4:27, Jhn.8:52, Rom.11:3, al.; (b) of prophets in general: Mat.10:41 13:57 21:46, Mrk.6:4, Luk.13:33, al.; (with) of John the Baptist: Mat.21:26, Mrk.6:15, Luk.1:76; (d) of Christ: Mat.21:11, Jhn.6:14, Act.3:22, 23 7:37" (LXX) ; (e) of Christian prophets in the apostolic age: Act.15:32, 1Co.12:28, Eph.2:20, al.; (f) by meton., of the writings of prophets: Luk.24:27, Act.8:28, al.; (g) of a poet: Tit.1:12 (on the use of the term in π. and Inscr., see Deiss., BS, 235f.; MM, xxii). (AS)

138 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2377

חָזוֹן

cha.zon — vision

1) vision 1a) vision (in ecstatic state) 1b) vision (in night) 1c) vision, oracle, prophecy (divine communication) 1d) vision (as title of book of prophecy)

27 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1687

דְּבִיר

de.vir — sanctuary

1) the holy of holies, the innermost room of the temple or tabernacle 1a) hindmost chamber, innermost room of the temple of Solomon, most holy place, holy of holies 2) (TWOT) oracle

16 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H4864

מַשְׂאֵת

mas.et — tribute

1) uprising, utterance, burden, portion, uplifting 1a) that which rises, uprising, uplifting, signal, rising 1b) utterance, oracle 1c) burden 1d) portion, present, largesse, gift, contribution, offering, tribute

12 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G5537

χρηματίζω

chrēmatizō — to announce

χρηματίζω (χρῆμα), [in LXX: Jer.26:2 29:23 30:2 36:2, 4 A (דָבַר pi.), Jer.25:30) (שָׁאַג), 3Ki.18:27, Job.40:8 * ;] 1. to transact business, hence, to consult, deliberate (Thuc., Dem., al.); hence in later writers, 2. to make answer (esp. of offcial pronounce­ments by magistrates, etc.; in π. of the royal reply to an ἔντευξις, which see; cf. Deiss., BS, 122); of an answer by an oracle (Died., Plut., al.); in FlJ, LXX and NT, of divine communications, to instruct, admonish, warn: pass. (Bl., § 54, 3), Mat.2:22, Heb.8:5 11:7 12:25; with inf. (Bl., § 69,4; 70, 3; 72, 5), Mat.2:12, Luk.2:26, Act.10:22 3. to assume a name (as in business), be called (Polyb., al.): Act.11:26, Rom.7:3 (gnomic fut.; cf. Burton, § 69).† (AS)

9 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2384

חִזָּיוֹן

chiz.za.von — vision

1) vision 1a) vision (in the ecstatic state) 1a1) valley of vision (perhaps fig. of Jerusalem or Hinnom) 1b) vision (in the night) 1c) vision, oracle, prophecy (in divine communication)

8 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H7081

קֶ֫סֶם

qe.sem — divination

1) divination, witchcraft 1a) of the nations, Balaam 1b) of false prophets 1c) in a good sense (king's lips as oracles)

7 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2380

חָזוּת

cha.zut — vision

1) vision, conspicuousness 1a) vision, oracle of a prophet 1a1) agreement 1b) conspicuousness in appearance

5 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G3051

λόγιον

logion — oracles

λόγιον, -ου, τό (dimin. of λόγος, see ICC, Ro., 70), [in LXX chiefly for אִמְרָה, אֵמֶר, Psa.18:30 19:14, al.; also for דָּבָר, Isa.28:13, al.; (cf. λογεῖον (-ιον) for חֹשֶׁן the oracular breastplate of the H.P., Exo.28:15, al.) ;] an oracle: Act.7:38, Rom.3:2, Heb.5:12, 1Pe.4:11 (on the eccl., λόγια τ. Κυρίου, see Lft., Essay on Sup. Rel., 172 ff.).† (AS)

4 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6673

צַו

tsav — command

1) command, ordinance, oracle (meaning uncertain) 1a) used in mocking mimicry of Isaiah's words and thus not a true divine command

3 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G5538

χρηματισμός

chrēmatismos — proclamation

χρηματισμός, -οῦ), ὁ (χρηματίζω, which see), [in LXX: Pro.31:1 (מַשָּׂא), 2Ma.2:4 2Mac 11:17 * ;] a divine response, an oracle: Rom.11:4 (Xen., Plat., al.).† (AS)

1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6839

צֹפִים

tso.phim — Zophim

§ Zophim = "watchers" a spot on or near the top of Pisgah, the site of Balaam's oracles

1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G6134

ἀδάμας

adamas — adamant

1. properly the untamed, unconquerable : 2. as Substantive adamant , i. e. the hardest metal, probably steel : metaphorically of any thing unalterable , ἔπος ἐρέω ἀδάμαντι πελάσσας having fixed it firm as adamant , (Oracle quoted in Herdotus Historicus) 3. the diamond , (Theophrastus Philosophus) 4. as adjective, metaphorically, the inflexible , of Hades, (Theocritus Poeta Bucolicus) (ML)

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GREEK · G6187

ἀκίνητος

akinētos — fixed

1. unmoved, motionless , of Delos, (Oracle quoted in Herdotus Historicus); ἐξ ἀκινήτου ποδός without stirring a step, (Sophocles Tragicus) 2. idle, sluggish , (Aristophanes Comicus) 3. unmoved, unaltered , of laws, (Thucydides), etc. 4. immovable, hard to move , (Plato Philosophus):—;adverb, ἀκινήτως ἔχειν to be immovable , (Plato Philosophus), etc. 5. not to be stirred or touched, inviolate , Lat. non movendus, τάφος (Herdotus Historicus): proverbial of sacred things, κινεῖν τὰ ἀκίνητα (Herdotus Historicus); also τἀκίνητα φράσαι (Sophocles Tragicus) 6. of persons, not to be shaken, steadfast, stubborn , (Sophocles Tragicus) (ML)

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GREEK · G6451

ἀποκωλύω

apokōluō — to detain

1. to hinder or prevent from a thing, τινά τινος (Xenophon Historicus); with infinitive, ἀπ. τινὰ ποιεῖν to prevent from doing, forbid to do, μὴ ποιεῖν τι (Euripides) 2. with accusative only, to keep off, hinder , (Oracle quoted in Herdotus Historicus): —;absolute to stop the way , (Thucydides):—;impersonal, οὐδὲν ἀποκωλύει there is no hindrance , (Plato Philosophus) (ML)

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GREEK · G6682

βόλος

bolos — a casting

1. a throw with a casting-net, a cast , (Oracle quoted in Herdotus Historicus): metaphorically, εἰς βόλον καθίστασθαι to fall within the cast of the net, (Euripides) 2. the thing caught, a draft of fish, (Aeschulus Tragicus) (ML)

0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G6848

διαμετρέω

diametreō — to measure out

1. to measure through, out or off , χῶρον δ. to measure lists for combat, (Iliad by Homer):—;Pass., ἡμέρα διαμεμετρημένη measured by the clepsydra , (Demosthenes Orator) 2. to measure out in portions, distribute , (Xenophon Historicus), etc.:—;Mid. to have measured out to one, receive as one's share , (Oracle quoted in Herdotus Historicus) (ML)

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GREEK · G6972

δρῦς

drus — an oak

1. originally a tree (which indeed comes from the same Root), commonly the oak , Lat. quercus, (Homer), etc.; sacred to Zeus, who gave his oracles from the oaks of Dodona, (Odyssey by Homer);—;hence, αἱ προσήγοροι δρύες (Aeschulus Tragicus):—;proverbial, οὐ γὰρ ἀπὸ δρυός ἐσσι οὐδ᾽ ἀπὸ πέτρης thou art no foundling from tree or rock, i. e. thou hast parents and a country, (Odyssey by Homer); οὐ νῦν ἐστιν ἀπὸ δρυὸς οὐδ᾽ ἀπὸ πέτρης ὀαρίζειν 'tis no time now to talk at ease from tree or rock, (Iliad by Homer) 2. of other trees, πίειρα δρῦς the resinous wood (of the pine), (Sophocles Tragicus); of the olive, (Euripides) 3. metaphorically a wornout old man , [variant datesAnthology Palantina (ML)

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GREEK · G7321

ἐξηγητής

exēgētēs — an expositor

1. one who leads on, an adviser , Lat. auctor, (Herdotus Historicus) 2. an expounder, interpreter , of oracles, dreams, omens, and sacred customs, (Herdotus Historicus), etc. (ML)

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GREEK · G7376

ἔπειμι

epeimi — be used

1. to be upon , with dative, (Iliad by Homer); but in Prose with preposition, ἐπὶ τοῦ καταστρώματος (Herdotus Historicus); ἐπὶ ταῖς οἰκίαις (Xenophon Historicus) 2. to be set upon , (Herdotus Historicus):—;of rewards and penalties, to be affixed or attached , (Aeschulus Tragicus), etc. 3. of Time, to be hereafter, remain , (Odyssey by Homer); ἐπεσσόμενοι ἄνθρωποι generations to come , (Oracle quoted in Herdotus Historicus):—;also to be at hand , (Sophocles Tragicus) 4. to be set over , Lat. praeesse, τισι (Herdotus Historicus) 5. to be added, be over and above , of numbers, (Herdotus Historicus) (ML)

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Historical dictionary entry

In the Old Testament used in every case, except 2 Sam. 16:23, to denote the most holy place in the temple (1 Kings 6:5, 19-23; 8:6). In 2 Sam. 16:23 it means the Word of God. A man inquired “at the oracle of God” by means of the Urim and Thummim in the breastplate on the high priest’s ephod. In the New Testament it is used only in the plural, and always denotes the Word of God (Rom. 3:2; Heb. 5:12, etc.). The Scriptures are called “living oracles” (comp. Heb. 4:12) because of their quickening power (Acts 7:38).

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 Oracle in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →