Proverbs 8:36 — Word Study
WLCוְֽ֭חֹטְאִי חֹמֵ֣ס נַפְשׁ֑וֹ כָּל־ מְ֝שַׂנְאַ֗י אָ֣הֲבוּ מָֽוֶת׃ פ
BSABut he who fails to find mechâṭâʼ [sins against, misses the mark, to know, understand, or discover] harmschâmaç [injures, wrongs] himselfnephesh allkôl [every single one] who hate mesânêʼ [feel intense dislike, reject] loveʼâhab■ [have affection for, are devoted to] deathmâveth [the end of life, spiritual separation]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְֽ֭חֹטְאִי | and [one who] misses me | Conjunction, verb qal participle (active) masculine singular common, suffix |
| חֹמֵ֣ס | [is] doing wrong to | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine singular |
| נַפְשׁ֑וֹ | self his | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| כָּל־ | all | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| מְ֝שַׂנְאַ֗י | [those who] hate me | Verb piel participle (active) masculine plural common, suffix |
| אָ֣הֲבוּ | they love | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| מָֽוֶת׃ פ | death | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.” |
| KJV | But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. |
| ASV | But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: All they that hate me love death. |
| YLT | And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death! |
| WEB | But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.” |
| BBE | But he who does evil to me, does wrong to his soul: all my haters are in love with death. |
Translations agree on the interpretation of חֹמֵ֣ס as 'doing wrong to.'
The sentence is structured with a main clause followed by a subordinate clause that clarifies who is affected by the action.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbחָמַס
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Proverbs 8:36
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Call of Wisdomgenerated
Proverbs 8:36 emphasizes the importance of seeking wisdom and understanding. Throughout this chapter, wisdom is depicted as a guiding force that leads to life and favor from the Lord. The preceding verses highlight the blessings that come to those who listen and wait for wisdom, contrasting sharply with the fate of those who reject her counsel and embrace folly, as seen in Proverbs 1:31 and Proverbs 20:2.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 1:31 | So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. |
| 2 | Proverbs 20:2 | The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life. |
| 3 | John 3:19–20 | And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil. |
| 4 | Acts 13:46 | Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. |
| 5 | Hebrews 2:3 | how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חֹמֵ֣ס, cho.Mesgenerated
The word חָמַס (chamac) means to harm or injure, and is often used to describe wrongdoing towards others. It encompasses both physical and ethical dimensions of harm, indicating actions that are violent or unjust.
In this verse, it is used in the participle form, suggesting an ongoing action. The implication is that the one who fails to find wisdom is actively causing harm to themselves, highlighting the serious consequences of neglecting wisdom.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
Translations agree on the meaning of חֹמֵ֣ס as 'doing wrong to' or 'injures.' The BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE all reflect this understanding.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is חֹמֵ֣ס, doing wrong to, which governs the subject and object of the sentence. The structure emphasizes the cause-and-effect relationship between rejecting wisdom and the harm that follows.
The sentence includes a noun phrase for the subject ('he who fails to find me') and another for the object ('self his'), creating a clear connection between the actions of the subject and the consequences described.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, חֹמֵ֣ס is rendered as ἀσεβοῦσιν — those who act wickedly. This choice broadens the scope of wrongdoing beyond just physical harm to include moral and ethical violations.
This translation indicates a deeper interpretation of the consequences of rejecting wisdom, suggesting that it leads not only to personal harm but also to a broader moral failing.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 8:36 warns that those who fail to seek wisdom harm themselves, while those who hate wisdom love death. This verse highlights the importance of pursuing wisdom for a fulfilling life.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Failing to find wisdom means not seeking understanding or guidance, which leads to making poor choices that ultimately harm oneself.
Hating wisdom can lead to a life characterized by poor decisions and ultimately results in spiritual death or separation from God.
You can seek wisdom by studying scripture, praying for understanding, and surrounding yourself with wise counsel.
Loving death implies a rejection of life and wisdom, choosing instead a path that leads to destruction and separation from God.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life am I neglecting to seek wisdom?
- How can I better listen to and apply the teachings of wisdom?
- What steps can I take to avoid the pitfalls of hating wisdom?
- How does understanding the consequences of rejecting wisdom affect my daily choices?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 8:36 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBut he that sinneth against me,.... Or misses the mark, as the word (b) signifies; and which is observed by Aben Ezra; see Jude 20:16.
Read John Gill on Proverbs 8 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryBut he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 8 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHe that sinneth against me, by the neglect or contempt of or rebellion against my commands, wrongeth his own soul; is guilty of self-murder and of soul-murder. They that hate me, i.e. who reject and disobey my counsels, and live wickedly, which in God’ s account is a hating of him, as is here implied and elsewhere, as 32:41. Love death; not directly or intentionally, but by consequence, because they love those practices which they know will bring certain destruction upon them.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 8 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.Ver. 36. Wrongeth his own soul.] Rapit animam suam. He plunders his own soul of its happiness; yea, he cruelly cuts the throat thereof, being ambitious of his own destruction.
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 8 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(36) He that sinneth against me.—Rather, He that misses me does not find me. So in Greek, sin (ἁμαρτία) is a “missing” of the true object of life.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 8 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 36. Wrongeth his own soul] It is not Satan, it is not sin, properly speaking, that hurts him; it is himself. If he received the teaching of God, sin would have no dominion over him; if he resisted the devil, the devil would flee from him. Love death.] They do it in effect, if not in fact; for as they love sin, that leads to death, so they may be justly said to love death, the wages of sin. He that works in this case, works for wages; and he must love the wages, seeing he labours so hard in the work. I HAVE gone through this fine chapter, and given the best exposition of it in my power. I have also, as well as others, weighed every word, and closely examined their radical import, their…
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 8 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges36. sinneth against] Or, “misseth,” R.V. marg. The Heb. word here used means primarily to miss the mark (as, for example, a slinger, Judges 20:16). Then it is used commonly for missing the mark, or erring from the way, morally, i.e. sinning. Comp. the use of ἁιμαρτάνω in Greek.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 8 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible35, 36. That sinneth against me — ηωׂ ?ΰι, misses me, taking the word in its primitive sense, which best suits the context, as it stands opposed to those finding or meeting her in the preceding verse.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 8 →The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”
But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.”
But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”
But the one who does not find me brings harm to himself; all who hate me love death.”
Tyndale line
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: All they that hate me love death.
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
Strictly literal
but he that sinneth against me doeth violence to his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!
And whoever is missing me, is wronging his soul, || All hating me have loved death!”
But he that sinneth against me doth violence to his own soul: all those that hate me love death.
But he who fails, harms his own life; all who hate me love death.”
From the Latin
But he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death.
Simplified
But those who don't find me hurt themselves; everyone who hates me loves death.”
But he who does evil to me, does wrong to his soul: all my haters are in love with death.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all seven words matched. This consistency suggests a shared understanding of the text's meaning across these traditions.
וְֽ֭חֹטְאִי חֹמֵ֣ס נַפְשׁ֑וֹ כָּל־ מְ֝שַׂנְאַ֗י אָ֣הֲבוּ מָֽוֶת׃ פ
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 8:36
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
חָטָא (chata') means to miss a goal or way, and is commonly translated as 'to sin.' It encompasses a range of meanings including incurring guilt, making a sin offering, and purifying from uncleanness. The word can also imply leading others to sin or causing oneself to lose one's way. It appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances of the concept of sin.
חָטָא 238 vb. miss (a goal or way), go wrong, sin
Qal
miss
sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty
incur guilt, penalty by sin, forfeit
Pi.
bear loss
make a sin offering
purify from sin
purify from uncleanness
Hiph.
miss the mark
induce or cause to sin
bring into guilt, condemnation, punishment
Hithp.
miss oneself, lose oneself, fig. for be bewildered, beside oneself
purify oneself from uncleanness
base
H2398 חָטָא miss (a goal or way), go wrong, sin .. miss
. sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty
. incur guilt, penalty by sin, forfeit
. . bear loss
. make a sin offering
. purify from sin
. purify from uncleanness
. . miss the mark
. induce or cause to sin
. bring into guilt, condemnation, punishment
. . miss oneself, lose oneself, fig. for be bewildered, beside oneself
. purify oneself from uncleanness
2398 chata' khaw-taw'
a primitive root; properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and
generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate,
repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn:--bear the blame,
cleanse, commit (sin), by fault, harm he hath done, loss,
miss, (make) offend(-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self),
make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin(-ful, -ness), trespass.
חָטָא (cha.ta) — to sin.
1) to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to miss
1a2) to sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty
1a3) to incur guilt, incur penalty by sin, forfeit
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to bear loss
1b2) to make a sin-offering
1b3) to purify from sin
1b4) to purify from uncleanness
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to miss the mark
1c2) to induce to sin, cause to sin
1c3) to bring into guilt or condemnation or punishment
1d) (Hithpael)
1d1) to miss oneself, lose oneself, wander from the way
1d2) to purify oneself from uncleanness
Conj | V-Qal | Suff — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular common · suffixHC/Vqrmsc/Sp1bs
חָמַס (chamac) is a primitive root meaning to treat violently or wrongfully, encompassing both physical and ethical dimensions of wrongdoing. The entries indicate it can refer to acts of violence or maltreatment, as well as the experience of being wronged. Notably, the term appears in contexts discussing both physical and ethical violations.
[חָמַס] vb. treat violently, wrong
Qal treat violently, wrong
of physical wrong
of ethical wrong
both physical and ethical
Niph. thy heels suffer violence
base
H2554 [חָמַס] treat violently, wrong .treat violently, wrong . of physical wrong
. of ethical wrong
. both physical and ethical
. thy heels suffer violence
2554 chamac khaw-mas'
a primitive root; to be violent; by implication, to
maltreat:--make bare, shake off, violate, do violence, take
away violently, wrong, imagine wrongfully.
חָמַס (cha.mas) — to injure.
1) to wrong, do violence to, treat violently, do wrongly
1a) (Qal) to treat violently, do wrong
1a1) of physical wrong
1a2) of ethical wrong
1a3) of physical and ethical wrong
1b) (Niphal) to be treated violently
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singularHVqrmsa
The Hebrew word נֶ֫פֶשׁ (*nephesh*) broadly means 'soul' or 'living being,' encompassing concepts like life, self, person, desire, and emotion. It is derived from the root meaning 'to breathe' and signifies both physical and mental aspects of existence. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, including as the seat of appetites and emotions, though its application to will and character is uncertain.
נֶ֫פֶשׁ 756 n.f. soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
= that which breathes, the breathing substance or being
The נפשׁ becomes a living being
The נפשׁ is specif.
The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself
נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)
נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions
נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts
נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.
נפשׁ = character is still more dub.
נ׳ in D
base
H5315 נֶ֫פֶשׁ soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion . = that which breathes, the breathing substance or being
. The נפשׁ becomes a living being
. The נפשׁ is specif.
. The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself
. נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)
. נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions
. נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts
. נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.
. נפשׁ = character is still more dub.
. נ׳ in D
5315 nephesh neh'-fesh
from 5314; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of
(abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal,
accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental):--any,
appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead(-ly), desire,
X (dis-)contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart(-y),
(hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me,
mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-,
thy-)self, them (your)-selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they,
thing, (X she) will, X would have it.
see HEBREW for 05314
נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul.
1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
1b) living being
1c) living being (with life in the blood)
1d) the man himself, self, person or individual
1e) seat of the appetites
1f) seat of emotions and passions
1g) activity of mind
1g1) uncertain
1h) activity of the will
1h1) uncertain
1i) activity of the character
1i1) uncertain
נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul: life.
1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
1b) living being
1c) living being (with life in the blood)
1d) the man himself, self, person or individual
1e) seat of the appetites
1f) seat of emotions and passions
1g) activity of mind
N-cs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp3ms
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.
(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.
(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).
שָׂנֵא (sane') is a primitive root meaning 'to hate.' It covers various forms of hatred, including personal animosity and enmity, and can refer to both humans and God. The word appears in different grammatical forms, with uses in Qal, Niphal, and Piel, indicating actions of hating or being hated. Its Aramaic equivalent is שְׂנָא.
שָׂנֵא 145 vb. hate
Qal 128 hate
Niph. is hated
Pi. enemy
base
H8130 שָׂנֵא hate
8130 sane' saw-nay'
a primitive root; to hate (personally):--enemy, foe, (be)
hate(-ful, -r), odious, X utterly.
שָׂנֵא (sa.ne) — to hate.
1) to hate, be hateful
1a) (Qal) to hate
1a1) of man
1a2) of God
1a3) hater, one hating, enemy (participle) (subst)
1b) (Niphal) to be hated
1c) (Piel) hater (participle)
1c1) of persons, nations, God, wisdom
Aramaic equivalent: se.ne (שְׂנָא "to hate" H8131)
V-Piel | Suff — Verb piel participle (active) masculine plural common · suffixHVprmpc/Sp1bs
The Hebrew word אָהֵב (*'ahab*) means 'to love' and encompasses various forms of affection, including human love for others, love for God, and even appetites for things like food and wisdom. It can also refer to friendship and divine love towards humanity, particularly Israel. The entries indicate that it can function in different grammatical forms, such as participles for 'lovely' or 'loveable'.
אָהֵב 216 vb. love
Qal
human love to human object
less oft. of appetite
love to God
esp. Pt.
of divine love
Niph. Pt. pl. lovely, loveable
Pi.
friends
lovers
base
H157 אָהֵב love
157 'ahab aw-hab'
or raheb {aw-habe'}; a primitive root; to have affection for
(sexually or otherwise):--(be-)love(-d, -ly, -r), like,
friend.
אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: lover.
: lover
1) to love
1a) (Qal)
1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual
1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom
1a3) human love for or to God
1a4) act of being a friend
1a4a) lover (participle)
1a4b) friend (participle)
1a5) God's love toward man
1a5a) to individual men
1a5b) to people Israel
1a5c) to righteousness
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) lovely (participle)
1b2) loveable (participle)
1c) (Piel)
1c1) friends
1c2) lovers (fig. of adulterers)
2) to like
Also means: a.hav (אָהֵב ": friend" H0157H)
אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: friend.
: friend
1) to love
1a) (Qal)
1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual
1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom
1a3) human love for or to God
1a4) act of being a friend
1a4a) lover (participle)
1a4b) friend (participle)
1a5) God's love toward man
1a5a) to individual men
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
luv ('ahebh, 'ahabhah, noun; phileo, agapao, verb; agape, noun): Love to both God and man is fundamental to true religion, whether as expressed in the Old Testament or the New Testament. Jesus Himself declared that all the law and the prophets hang upon love (Mt 22:40; Mr 12:28-34). Paul, in his matchless ode on love (1Co 13), makes it the greatest of the graces of the Christian life--greater than speaking with tongues, or the gift of prophecy, or the possession of a faith of superior excellence; for without love all these gifts and graces, desirable and useful as they are in themselves, are as nothing, certainly of no permanent value in the sight of God. Not that either Jesus or Paul underestimates the faith from which all the graces proceed, for this grace is recognized as…
Love
This word seems to require explanation only in the case of its use by our Lord in his interview with “Simon, the son of Jonas,” after his resurrection (John 21:16, 17). When our Lord says, “Lovest thou me?” he uses the Greek word agapas; and when Simon answers, he uses the Greek word philo, i.e., “I love.” This is the usage in the first and second questions put by our Lord; but in the third our Lord uses Simon’s word. The distinction between these two Greek words is thus fitly described by Trench:, ”Agapan has more of judgment and deliberate choice; philein has more of attachment and peculiar personal affection. Thus the ‘Lovest thou’ (Gr. agapas) on the lips of the Lord seems to Peter at this moment too cold a word, as though his Lord were keeping him at a distance, or at least not inviting him to draw near, as in the…
GOD IS LOVE; AND HE THAT DWELLETH IN LOVE DWELLETH IN GOD, AND GOD IN HIM, 1Jo 4:16. Love is a chief attribute of Jehovah, the length and breadth and height and depth of which are beyond comprehension, for they are infinite, Eph 3:18,19. Between the three Persons of the Godhead, love is unutterable full, perfect, and blissful; towards holy angels and Christians, God’s love is an infinite fatherly complacency and affection; towards sinners, it is immeasurable compassion. It is shown in all his works and ways, and dictated his holy law, but is most signally displayed in the gospel, Joh 3:16. "Herein is love."
Holy love in man would make the whole heart and soul supremely delight in and obey God, and cordially and practically love all beings according to their character-the good…
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מָ֫וֶת (maveth) means 'death' and encompasses various aspects such as natural or violent death, the state of being dead, and the realm of the dead (hades). It can also refer to pestilence or ruin. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to die' and has an Aramaic equivalent, מוֹת (mot).
מָ֫וֶת 161 n.m. death
death, opp. life
death by violence
state of death or place of death
base
H4194 מָ֫וֶת death
4194 maveth maw'-veth
from 4191; death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead,
their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence,
ruin:--(be) dead((-ly)), death, die(-d).
see HEBREW for 04191
מָ֫וֶת (ma.vet) — death.
1) death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead
1a) death
1b) death by violence (as a penalty)
1c) state of death, place of death
Aramaic equivalent: mot (מוֹת "death" H4193)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
(maweth; thanatos):
PHYSIOLOGICAL AND FIGURATIVE VIEW
The word "Death" is used in the sense of
(1) the process of dying (Ge 21:16);
(2) the period of decease (Ge 27:7);
(3) as a possible synonym for poison (2Ki 4:40);
(4) as descriptive of person in danger of perishing (Jud 15:18; "in deaths oft" 2Co 11:23). In this sense the shadow of death is a familiar expression in Job, the Psalms and the Prophets;
Death
May be simply defined as the termination of life. It is represented under a variety of aspects in Scripture: (1.) “The dust shall return to the earth as it was” (Eccl. 12:7).
(2.) “Thou takest away their breath, they die” (Ps. 104:29).
(3.) It is the dissolution of “our earthly house of this tabernacle” (2 Cor. 5:1); the “putting off this tabernacle” (2 Pet. 1:13, 14).
(4.) Being “unclothed” (2 Cor. 5:3, 4).
(5.) “Falling on sleep” (Ps. 76:5; Jer. 51:39;
Is taken in Scripture, first, for the separation of body and soul, the first death, Ge 25:11; secondly, for alienation from God, and exposure to his wrath, 1Jo 3:14, etc.; thirdly, for the second death, that of eternal damnation. Death was the penalty affixed to Adam’s transgression, Ge 2:17 3:19; and all his posterity are transgressors, and share the curse inflicted upon him. CHRIST is "our life." All believers share his life, spiritually and eternally; and though sin and bodily is taken away, and in the resurrection the last enemy shall be trampled under foot, Ro 5:12-21 1Co 15:1-58.