BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY
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 · H2420
chi.dah — riddle
1) riddle, difficult question, parable, enigmatic saying or question, perplexing saying or question 1a) riddle (dark obscure utterance) 1b) riddle, enigma (to be guessed) 1c) perplexing questions (difficult) 1d) double dealing (with 'havin') Aramaic equivalent: a.chi.dah (אֲחִידָה "riddle" H0280)
16 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H280
a.chi.dah — riddle
puzzle, riddle Aramaic of chi.dah (חִידָה "riddle" H2420)
1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1856
da.qar — to pierce
1) to pierce, thrust through, pierce through 1a) (Qal) to pierce, run through 1b) (Niphal) to be pierced through 1c) (Pual) pierced, riddled (participle)
10 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H4227
ma.cha.vat — griddle
1) flat plate, pan, griddle 1a) for baking
4 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2330
chud — to riddle
(Qal) to propose a riddle, propound a riddle
3 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →GREEK · G135
ainigma — obscure thing
αἴνιγμα, -ατος, τό (αἰνίσσομαι, to speak in riddles; αἰνός = δεινός, dread, strange), [in LXX for חִידָה, Num.12:8 and always exc. Deu.28:37 (שַׁמָּה) ;] a dark saying, riddle: 1Co.13:12 (cf. Nu, l.with).† (AS)
1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →GREEK · G8252
manteia — divination
1. prophesying, prophetic power , (Homeric Hymns): mode of divination , (Herdotus Historicus); αἴνιγμα μαντείας ἔδει the riddle stood in need of divination , (Sophocles Tragicus) 2. = μαντεῖον II, (Tyrtaeus Elegiacus) (ML)
0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →GREEK · G8831
poikillō — to embroidered
1. to work in various colours, to broider, work in embroidery , (Euripides); χορὸν ποίκιλλε he wrought a χορός of cunning workmanship , (Iliad by Homer) 2. to embroider a robe, (Pindar), etc. 3. generally, to diversify, vary , (Euripides):—;of style, to embellish , (Pindar):—; to speak as in riddles , (Sophocles Tragicus) (ML)
0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →GREEK · G8892
problēma — a riddle
1. anything projecting, a headland, promontory , (Sophocles Tragicus) 2. anything put before one, a fence, barrier, screen , (Herdotus Historicus), attic; πρ. σώματος, of a shield, (Aeschulus Tragicus); προβλήματα ἵππων χαλκᾶ the brasen armour of horses, (Xenophon Historicus) 3. with genitive a defence against a thing, πέτρων (Aeschulus Tragicus); χείματος (Euripides); κακῶν (Aristophanes Comicus) 4. πρ. φόβου ἢ αἰδοῦς ἔχειν to have fear or shame as a defence , (Sophocles Tragicus) 5. anything put forward as an excuse or screen , (Demosthenes Orator); so, πρ. λαβεῖν τινά (as we say) to make a stalking horse of him, (Sophocles Tragicus) 6. that which is proposed, a task, business , (Euripides) 7. a problem in Geometry, (Plato Philosophus) (ML)
0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →(Heb. hodah). The oldest and, strictly speaking, the only example of a riddle was that propounded by Samson (Judg. 14:12-18). The parabolic prophecy in Ezek. 17:2-18 is there called a “riddle.” It was rather, however, an allegory. The word “darkly” in 1 Cor. 13:12 is the rendering of the Greek enigma; marg., “in a riddle.”
Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.
