Words with meaning.
A little context for the words you meet along the way.
94 entries from the World English Bible glossary.
A
Abaddon
Abaddon is Hebrew for destruction.
Abba
Abba is a Chaldee word for father, used in a respectful, affectionate, and familiar way, like papa, dad, or daddy. Often used in prayer to r…
adultery
Adultery is having sexual intercourse with someone besides your own husband or wife. In the Bible, the only legitimate sexual intercourse is…
alpha
Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. It is sometimes used to mean the beginning or the first.
amen
Amen means “So be it” or “I believe it is certainly so.”
angel
“Angel” literally means “messenger” or “envoy,” and is usually used to refer to spiritual beings who normally are invisible to us, but can a…
Apollyon
Apollyon is Greek for destroyer.
apostle
“Apostle” means a delegate, messenger, or one sent forth with orders. This term is applied in the New Testament in both a general sense conn…
Armageddon
See Har-magedon.
assarion
An assarion is a small Roman copper coin worth one tenth of a drachma, or about an hour’s wages for an agricultural laborer.
aureus
An aureus is a Roman gold coin, worth 25 silver denarii. An aureus weighed from 115 to 126.3 grains (7.45 to 8.18 grams).
B
baptize
Baptize means to immerse in, or wash with something, usually water. Baptism in the Holy Spirit, fire, the Body of Christ, and suffering are …
bath
A bath is a liquid measure of about 22 liters, 5.8 U. S. gallons, or 4.8 imperial gallons.
batos
A batos is a liquid measure of about 39.5 liters, 10.4 U. S. gallons, or 8.7 imperial gallons.
Beelzebul
literally, lord of the flies. A name used for the devil.
Beersheba
Beersheba is Hebrew for “well of the oath” or “well of the seven.” A city in Israel.
behold
Look! See! Wow! Notice this! Lo!
C
cherub
A cherub is a kind of angel with wings and hands that is associated with the throne room of God and guardian duty. See Ezekiel 10.
cherubim
Cherubim means more than one cherub or a mighty cherub.
choenix
A choenix is a dry volume measure that is a little more than a liter (which is a little more than a quart). A choenix was the daily ration o…
concubine
a woman who is united to a man for the purpose of providing him with sexual pleasure and children, but not being honored as a full partner i…
cor
A cor is a dry measure of about 391 liters, 103 U. S. gallons, or 86 imperial gallons.
corban
Corban is a Hebrew word for an offering devoted to God.
crucify
Crucify means to execute someone by nailing them to a cross with metal spikes. Their hands are stretched out on the crossbeam with spikes dr…
cubit
A cubit is a unit of linear measure, from the elbow to the tip of the longest finger of a man. This unit is commonly converted to 0.46 meter…
cummin
Cummin is an aromatic seed from Cuminum cyminum, resembling caraway in flavor and appearance. It is used as a spice.
D
darnel
Darnel is a weed grass (probably bearded darnel or Lolium temulentum) that looks very much like wheat until it is mature, when the seeds rev…
denarii
denarii: plural form of denarius, a silver Roman coin worth about a day’s wages for a laborer.
denarius
A denarius is a silver Roman coin worth about a day’s wages for an agricultural laborer. A denarius was worth 1/25th of a Roman aureus.
devil
The word “devil” comes from the Greek “diabolos,” which means “one prone to slander; a liar.” “Devil” is used to refer to a fallen angel, al…
didrachma
A didrachma is a Greek silver coin worth 2 drachmas, about as much as 2 Roman denarii, or about 2 days wages. It was commonly used to pay th…
disciple
a student who follows a teacher to learn both by precept and example.
distaff
part of a spinning wheel used for twisting threads.
drachma
A drachma is a Greek silver coin worth about one Roman denarius, or about a day’s wages for an agricultural laborer.
E
G
Gehenna
Gehenna is one word used for Hell. It comes from the Hebrew Gey-Hinnom, literally “valley of Hinnom.” This word originated as the name for a…
gittith
Gittith is a musical term possibly meaning “an instrument of Gath.”
goad
a sharp, pointed prodding device used to motivate reluctant animals (such as oxen and mules) to move in the right direction.
gospel
Gospel means “good news” or “glad tidings,” specifically the Good News of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection for our salvation, healing, a…
H
Hades
Hades: The nether realm of the disembodied spirits. Also known as “hell.” See also “Sheol”.
Har-magedon
Har-magedon, also called Armegeddon, is most likely a reference to hill (“har”) of Megiddo, near the Carmel Range in Israel. This area has a…
hin
A hin is a measure of volume of about about 6.5 liters or 1.7 gallons.
homer
One homer is about 220 liters, 6.2 U. S. bushels, 6.1 imperial bushels, 58 U. S. gallons, or 48.4 imperial gallons.
hypocrite
a stage actor; someone who pretends to be someone other than who they really are; a pretender; a dissembler
I
J
K
L
M
mahalath
Mahalath is the name of a tune or a musical term.
manna
Name for the food that God miraculously provided to the Israelites while they were wandering in the wilderness between Egypt and the promise…
marriage
the union of a husband and a wife for the purpose of cohabitation, procreation, and to enjoy each other’s company. God’s plan for marriage i…
maschil
Maschil is a musical and literary term for “contemplation” or “meditative psalm.”
michtam
A michtam is a poem.
mina
A mina is a Greek coin worth 100 Greek drachmas (or 100 Roman denarii), or about 100 day’s wages for an agricultural laborer.
myrrh
Myrrh is the fragrant substance that oozes out of the stems and branches of the low, shrubby tree commiphora myrrha or commiphora kataf nati…
N
O
P
Q
R
rabbi
Rabbi is a transliteration of the Hebrew word for “my teacher,” used as a title of respect for Jewish teachers.
Rahab
Rahab is either (1) The prostitute who hid Joshua’s 2 spies in Jericho (Joshua 2,6) and later became an ancestor of Jesus (Matthew 1:5) and …
repent
to change one’s mind; turn away from sin and turn toward God; to abhor one’s past sins and determine to follow God.
Rhabboni
Rhabboni: a transliteration of the Hebrew word for “great teacher.”
S
Sabbath
The seventh day of the week, set aside by God for man to rest.
saints
The Greek word for “saints” literally means “holy ones.” Saints are people set apart for service to God as holy and separate, living in righ…
Samaritan
A Samaritan is a resident of Samaria. The Samaritans and the Jews generally detested each other during the time that Jesus walked among us.
sanctify
To declare or set apart something as holy. To purify and separate a person from sin.
sata
A sata is a dry measure of capacity approximately equal to 13 liters or 1.5 pecks.
Satan
Satan means “accuser.” This is one name for the devil, an enemy of God and God’s people.
scribe
A scribe is one who copies God’s law. They were often respected as teachers and authorities on God’s law.
selah
Selah is a musical term indicating a pause or instrumental interlude for reflection.
seraphim
Seraphim are 6-winged angels. See Isaiah 6:2-6.
sexual immorality
The term “sexual immorality” in the New Testament comes from the Greek “porneia,” which refers to any sexual activity besides that between a…
shekel
A measure of weight, and when referring to that weight in gold, silver, or brass, of money. A shekel is approximately 16 grams, about a half…
Sheol
Sheol is the place of the dead. See also “Hades”.
Shibah
Shibah is Hebrew for “oath” or “seven.” See Beersheba.
shigionoth
Victorious music.
soul
“Soul” refers to the emotions and intellect of a living person, as well as that person’s very life. It is distinguished in the Bible from a …
span
A span is the length from the tip of a man’s thumb to the tip of his little finger when his hand is stretched out (about half a cubit, or 9 …
spirit
Spirit, breath, and wind all derive from the same Hebrew and Greek words. A person’s spirit is the very essence of that person’s life, which…
stadia
Stadia is plural for “stadion,” a linear measure of about 184.9 meters or 606.6 feet (the length of the race course at Olympia).
stater
A stater is a Greek silver coin equivalent to four Attic or two Alexandrian drachmas, or a Jewish shekel: just exactly enough to cover the h…
T
tabernacle
a dwelling place or place of worship, usually a tent.
talent
A measure of weight or mass of 3000 shekels.
Tartarus
Tartarus is the Greek name for an underworld for the wicked dead; another name for Gehenna or Hell.
teraphim
Teraphim are household idols that may have been associated with inheritance rights to the household property.