Synonyms: thirstiness, dryness, parched, craving, strong desire, longing, yearning, avidity, hunger, voracity, keenness, eagerness, lust, appetite, passion, love, crave, want, covet, desire, hunger for/after, lust for/after, hanker for/after, have one's heart set on
Antonyms: aversion, distaste, apathy, dislike, hatred, antipathy, disgust, disregard, abhorrence, acrimony, wet, animosity, animus, antagonism, bad feeling, bitterness, be averse to, detestation
Showing 4251 to 4275 of 4959 results
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... calls out all the chariots of Egypt along with his elite fighting corps. In fear the Israelites cry out to the Lord and reproach their visible leader, Moses. Five times in 14:12–13 they mention Egypt, a familiar and thus seemingly desirable place in these terrifying circumstances. Each step of the deliverance is accompanied by uncertainty, fear, and the resultant need to trust God. Moses encourages the Israelites with the promise of God’s deliverance, but he also appeals to the Lord, who instructs ...
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
A month later in the Desert of Sin the Israelites’ circumstances are so bleak that they voice their desire to return to Egypt, representing their previous estate in rosy colors complete with pots of meat and all the food they want. Their grumbling against Moses and Aaron prompts a response from the Lord; the Israelites will see manifested in the wilderness the glory and power of God in his ...
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... covenant leads only to disaster, graphically illustrated on the human level in Proverbs 5:1–23; 6:20–29; 7:1–27. The gift of sexuality is both rapturous and potentially destructive to individuals and whole communities, as it evokes desires that can overwhelm reason. Thus sexuality must be disciplined in a context of fidelity so that family stability and honor are maintained. Marriage symbolizes the intimate covenant love between God and his people; broken marriages represent the spiritual adultery of ...
4254. Hebrew Servants
Exodus 21:2-11
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... measure-for-measure action (21:26–27). The Hebrew verb for “to make restitution” is shalem, which means to set right and restore well-being (shalom). These guidelines were established for court procedures. Jesus addresses the personal need to eschew any desire for retaliation by giving even more than is required (Matt. 5:38–42). 21:1-11 · The master-servant relationship was part of the widespread ancient socioeconomic structure, and the Israelites, emerging from their own harsh bondage, are to be ...
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... who has fallen so far is no different from that experienced by believers, representatives of frail humanity, throughout the ages. Moses, as their leader and mediator, is painfully aware of the seriousness of their condition before the Lord. He persists in his expressed desire for assurance because he knows the reality of the wrath of the Lord against sin. He does not take lightly or easily God’s grace. He fasts again for forty days and forty nights (Deut. 9:9, 18), recognizing his need to be prepared ...
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... or treaty stipulations established by the superior party. Israel’s superior party was the omnipotent deity, so his blessings and curses covered a breathtaking array of effects, including conditions in nature that would affect well-being on the Promised Land. The Lord clearly desired to lavish blessings on his people to show the benefits of a positive relationship with him (26:3–13). But he could not bless them if they were disloyal to him, or he would send a false message about himself. Much longer than ...
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... the truth is an act of despising God, whose very being and nature is truth. Lying is always wrong, for God commands truth-telling (Ps. 27:12; 35:11; Prov. 6:19; 14:15). Commandment 10 (5:21). The sanctity of motive includes all thoughts, desires, and inner instincts that lead to the above nine actions. This command seeks a state of contentment for God’s men and women, for “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim. 6:6). God announced these commandments, Moses says, in a “loud voice” (5 ...
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... the Levites, but not all Levites are priests. The Levites are not to receive a tribal allotment, for the Lord is their inheritance (18:2). They are to receive the first fruits of the land (18:4) and to minister in the Lord’s name (18:5). If a Levite desires to move to the “place” of the central sanctuary, he is not to be discriminated against (18:6–8).
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... judgment from the Lord. This means Gideon actually has no legitimate basis to consider sparing the two Midianite kings. Second, Gideon’s statement also reveals that his pursuit of the two kings may have been motivated more by personal vendetta than a desire to deal the nation’s enemy a decisive defeat. This makes one wonder if Gideon’s punishment of the two uncooperative towns is not also motivated similarly by personal revenge. In hindsight, his openness to sparing the two Midianite kings makes his ...
4260. Abimelek
Judges 9:1-57
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... the fable is against the idea of monarchy in general or only speaks to the particular situation concerning Abimelek and the Shechemites. Those who support the former interpretation point out that, since the fable suggests that honorable and productive people have no desire to become king, but only the unworthy aspire to it, kingship must therefore be an inherently bad idea. While such a reading is possible, it is more likely that by casting Abimelek as the thornbush and the Shechemites as trees looking for ...
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... cf. 17:6; 21:25), he justifies his request by declaring that the woman is literally “right in his eyes” (14:3). Given the blatant disapproval of marriages with foreigners already expressed in Judges 3:5–6, it seems obvious that Samson’s desires in this matter should be viewed negatively. But the supplementary information provided by the narrator, that Samson’s parents are ignorant of the Lord’s plan to seek an occasion against the Philistines, suddenly seems to cast that evaluation in doubt. Is ...
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... , flocks, and livestock. Samuel asserts that eventually the people will feel like the king’s slaves and will cry out to God for relief, just as they have cried for help during times of foreign oppression. Ignoring the urgency of Samuel’s arguments, the people remain firm in their desire for a king. Their minds are made up even though Samuel has pointed out the painful consequences of establishing a monarchy. When Samuel takes their decision to the Lord, God tells him to “give them a king” (8:22).
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... intertextual allusion suggests that the historian viewed the establishment of the monarchy on par with the choice of Israel’s greatest leader. When Saul meets Samuel, the prophet surprises him by announcing that the lost donkeys have been found and that “all the desire of Israel” is directed to Saul as the new king (9:20). Saul protests that the tribe of Benjamin is not very prominent (although it was neatly situated between the powerful tribes of Judah and Ephraim). During the period of the judges ...
4264. David and Jonathan
1 Samuel 20:1-42
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... present at his table. David uses the situation as a test of Saul’s intentions. He asks Jonathan to give Saul a false excuse for his absence and to note Saul’s response: if Saul accepts the excuse, David is safe, but if Saul is angered, his desire to kill David remains. Sensing that Saul’s jealousy might make future contact with David impossible, Jonathan takes David outside for a long talk (20:11–23). He promises to carry out David’s wishes at the festival and to let David know if he should stay ...
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... to his own situation with Absalom (14:12–20). Her reference to the reconciliation of a “banished person” to God may be an allusion to David’s own restoration after he committed murder; it is also a powerful metaphor for God’s love of and desire for all sinners. As a final argument, the woman refers to David’s ability to make just decisions, such as a divine messenger would make. Although this may be partly flattery, David does possess excellent judgment—except when it comes to those close to ...
4266. Absalom's Death
2 Sam 18:1–19:8
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... crushed and begins to mourn his son’s death (18:30–19:4). The pain is so great that David wishes he had died instead of Absalom. Over the years the tension between father and son has been great, but clearly David has no desire for such a violent outcome. Though the troops return in triumph, their shouting and celebrating are quickly stilled in response to David’s mourning. Instead of congratulating his men, David continues to grieve uncontrollably over the death of Absalom. Although David’s response ...
4267. Wise Options
1 Kings 3:1-15
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... to Solomon’s decision making, then such doubts are not eradicated in the opening lines of the next chapter (3:1–2), as Solomon becomes a son-in-law to Pharaoh. In one respect it is obvious why an ancient Near Eastern king would desire such an alliance, as military and economic advantages would certainly accrue in an arrangement of this type. Yet a main purpose of the exodus is so Israel can be liberated from Egypt, not form partnerships where future ensnarement becomes a possibility. Moreover, the law ...
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... a celebration of the Lord’s kingship). During this guided tour of the temple furnishings it seems as if the reader is given the king’s perspective of these magnificent works. We trust that all is done with genuine piety and not with a desire to keep up with the other nations. Huram’s consultancy draws to a close with an inventory (7:41–51) of his aesthetically pleasing designs, along with a dedication of the objects collected during David’s (many) battles, suggesting that the treasuries are well ...
4269. The Reign of Jehoshaphat
2 Chronicles 17:1-19
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... the books of Chronicles stress the centralization of worship at the temple in Jerusalem and with it greater opportunities for the involvement of Levites in verbal worship alongside the sacrificial activity of the priests, here a decentralization of teaching reveals his desire to keep the people from returning to their former ways. The reference to the fear of Yahweh falling on the surrounding kingdoms reveals the power of such teaching. For the Chronicler’s audience this is a reminder of the importance of ...
4270. The Account of Josiah
2 Chron 34:1–36:1
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... word is delivered by the prophetess Huldah, who, after delivering a word of judgment on Israel for its illicit worship of other gods, commends the penitential example of Josiah. Josiah leads the nation in a covenant renewal, in which they pledge their desire to follow God, but he also rids the nation, including also the tribal territories of the former northern kingdom, of its detestable idols. This restoration of the temple and renewal of the people lays the foundation for the reinstatement of the festal ...
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... Tabernacles; they also immediately begin to offer the regular burnt offerings as stipulated by Moses (Exod. 29:38–43), as well as the New Moon sacrifices and all the other regular sacrifices and “freewill offerings.” The people are united in their desire to worship God, trust him, and obey him. They are eager to build the temple, but they put worshiping God first. Many times Christians allow even “God-ordained” projects to come before their genuine interest in God’s glory. We must remember ...
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... Janzen, 267). If one embraces the dissonance—keep in mind the polyphony that permeates the story—the whole book explores the various aspects of the complex matrix of suffering and divine-human relationships. “The dissonance both recognizes and refuses the reader’s desire for closure to the story and a definitive resolution of the issues it has raised” (Newsom 1996, 634). A reader is thrown toward more contemplation about the book’s issues. The story is merely a morsel for a reader’s thought ...
4273. Bildad
Job 8:1-22
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... this. The NIV understands the imagery as a second illustration of the wicked. Though the wicked appear at times to thrive in good conditions (8:16) or when otherwise they should not (8:17), they will be uprooted (8:18) and the area overgrown with other, desirable plants (8:19). If this second interpretation is correct, Bildad seems to have aspects of Job’s life in mind. Wealth and prestige were but for a season. Children are now uprooted, and Job himself will likely be uprooted if he does not return to ...
4274. Zophar
Job 11:1-20
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... 3–4). If God could speak, he would show Job how shortsighted he is (11:5). Zophar insists that God’s actions toward Job have been tempered by restraint (11:6). Zophar may not here expect that God will indeed appear, but Job increasingly desires an appearance. Remarkably and ironically, when God later does break into the conversation, much of what he says echoes Zophar’s expectations—a display of power and a taunt of Job’s limited understanding. 11:7–12 · Zophar develops his theme of secrets and ...
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
23:1–24:25 · Job’s previous speech (Job 21), where he challenged conventional wisdom, was a pause from the crescendo of his desire to stand before God. In these chapters, Job returns to the elusive courtroom.Job has earlier expressed his confidence in a vindicator (16:18–21) or kinsman-redeemer (19:23–29) to prosecute his case after his death. But Job wants none of that now (23:2–7). Perceiving no ...
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