HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1498
גָּזֵל
ga.zel — robbery
robbery, something plundered Also means: ge.zel (גֵּזֶל "violence" H1499)
4 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY
Robbery
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 · H957
בַּז
baz — plunder
spoil, booty, robbery, spoiling Also means: bag (בַּג "spoil" H0897)
13 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →GREEK · G724
ἁρπαγή
harpagē — plunder
ἁρπαγή, -ῆς, ἡ (ἁρπάζω), [in LXX (as also ἅρπαγμα) for גָּזֵל, etc. ;] pillage, plundering, robbery: Mat.23:25, Luk.11:39, Heb.10:34.† (AS)
3 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1500
גְּזֵלָה
ge.ze.lah — violence
plunder, spoil, robbery
2 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →GREEK · G725
ἁρπαγμός
harpagmos — something to grasp
ἁρπαγμός, οῦ, ὁ (ἁρπάζω); 1. prop., accusative, to the rule of its formation (Bl., § 27, 2), actively, the act of seizing, robbery (Plut., Deu Puer. Educ., p. 12A), Php.2:6, AV (Waterland, Works, II, 108; Cremer, 649 f.; Meyer, in l; cf. also JThS, July, 1909, April, 1911; MM, see word). 2. Passively = ἅρπαγμα (Eze.22:25, of a lion's prey, ), a thing seized, hence, a prize: Phi, l.with, RV (Lft., Ellic., ICC, in l; Donaldson, NCrat., 450 ff.; and esp. Gifford, The Incarnation, 59-71, and reff. in DB, ii, 835 B). The lexical data favour the active meaning, but as they also admit the possibility of the alternative, most modern expositors have accepted the latter as seeming to suit the logic of the passage better. The lexical difficulty, however, remains (MM, see word, esp. the last ref.). As to the usage of St. Paul, he seems inclined to adopt the -μα form where it is appropriate (e.g. Rom.11:9, where cf. LXX; 1Co.13:9, 2 Co 19), and there is certainly a presumption in favour of the active meaning here from the fact that he does not use the LXX ἅρπαγμα. Suggestions looking to a fresh exegesis are given in JThS, ll with† (AS)
1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →GREEK · G8190
λῃστήριον
lēstērion — a band of robbers
1. a band of robbers , (Xenophon Historicus):—; a retreat or nest of robbers , (Strabo Geographus) 2. robbery , in plural, (Lucian) from λῃστής (ML)
0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1499
גֵּזֶל
ge.zel — violence
robbery, plunder Another spelling of ga.zel (גָּזֵל "robbery" H1498)
0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →Historical dictionary entry
Practised by the Ishmaelites (Gen. 16:12), the Chaldeans and Sabeans (Job 1:15, 17), and the men of Shechem (Judg. 9:25. See also 1 Sam. 27:6-10; 30; Hos. 4:2; 6:9). Robbers infested Judea in our Lord’s time (Luke 10:30; John 18:40; Acts 5:36, 37; 21:38; 2 Cor. 11:26). The words of the Authorized Version, “counted it not robbery to be equal,” etc. (Phil. 2:6, 7), are better rendered in the Revised Version, “counted it not a prize to be on an equality,” etc., i.e., “did not look upon equality with God as a prize which must not slip from his grasp” = “did not cling with avidity to the prerogatives of his divine majesty; did not ambitiously display his equality with God.” “Robbers of churches” should be rendered, as in the Revised Version, “of temples.” In the temple at Ephesus there was a great treasure-chamber, and as all that was laid up there was under the guardianship of the goddess Diana, to steal from such a place would be sacrilege (Acts 19:37).
Scripture references
Genesis 16:12Job 1:15Job 1:17Judges 9:251 Samuel 27:6-101 Samuel 30Hosea 4:2Hosea 6:9Luke 10:30John 18:40Acts 5:36Acts 5:372 Corinthians 11:26Philippians 2:6Philippians 2:7Acts 19:37Exodus 2:2Exodus 21:16Exodus 24:7Isaiah 5:8Micah 2:2
Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.