Synonyms: renounce, relinquish, dispense with, forswear, disclaim, disown, disavow, discard, wash one's hands of, give up, stop, cease, drop, forgo, desist from, have done with, abjure, abstain from, discontinue, break off, refrain from, set/lay aside, desert, leave, leave high and dry, turn one's back on, cast aside, break (up) with, vacate, quit, evacuate, withdraw from, surrender, cede, yield, indulge in, give way to, give oneself up to, yield to, lose oneself to/in, uninhibitedness, recklessness, lack of restraint, lack of inhibition, unruliness, wildness, impulsiveness, impetuosity, immoderation, wantonness
Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on
Showing 2301 to 2325 of 5000 results
Understanding Series
Gordon D. Fee
Instructions for Groups of Believers Although this section has affinities to several passages in both the PE and the rest of the NT, the material nonetheless appears here in a unique way. It picks up the framework of 1 Timothy 5:1–2, where people are grouped by age and sex, and in verses 2–8 fleshes out some details, not in terms of Titus’ relationship to them but of their own attitudes and conduct. The language of the details echoes that used for the overseers, deacons, and women in 1 Timothy 3:1–13 and 2 ...
Understanding Series
Norman Hillyer
The Stone—Living and Deadly Peter now turns from exhorting his readers to conduct that befits their life within the believing community to inviting them to consider the nature of that community which Christ has brought into existence. 2:4 The shift to stone from the figure of “milk” (v. 2) is unexpected and seemingly without reason. But for a Jewish reader there is a natural succession of ideas in this passage—not milk: stone, but the Hebraic one of babes: house. A helpful illustration is in Genesis 16:2. ...
Understanding Series
James K. Bruckner
The second half of Exodus 2 (vv. 11–25) begins with Moses walking among the Hebrew laborers. Three times in these verses he intercedes on behalf of weak persons who had been wronged, thereby showing himself to be God’s friend. Nevertheless, in addition to demonstrating the gifts God had given him, these three short scenes also reveal what was lacking in Moses’ character and education. Each encounter shows who he was and also changed him in significant ways. In striking down the Egyptian Moses encountered ...
Understanding Series
James K. Bruckner
The third chapter of Exodus is filled with revelation and interaction. It includes a theophany (the appearing of God) and the story of Moses’ call. Moses meets God for the first time in the burning bush, where God calls him to go back to Egypt. We are reminded of the oppression there and hear the first two of Moses’ five objections to God’s call. Exodus 3 gives the name of the Lord, repeats the promise of land to Abraham’s family, and predicts Pharaoh’s resistance. Finally, God promises to do “wonders” ...
Understanding Series
James K. Bruckner
27:1–8 The description moves immediately from the tent’s entrance screen to the bronzed altar that would stand in the courtyard. It would stand in the middle, halfway between the entrance screen of the tent of meeting and the entrance screen of the larger tabernacle. Worshipers brought whole burnt offerings and sacrifices in which animals were cleanly slaughtered for their meat to this altar. The blood (representing life) and fat (representing abundant provision) of every animal belonged to the Lord (see ...
Understanding Series
James K. Bruckner
Instructions: Aaron’s Consecration, the Altar Consecration, and Daily Sacrifices: “After you put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests” (28:41). Exodus 29 contains specific instructions for the priestly consecration and ordination ceremony, including three sacrifices and the consecration of the bronze altar. It also includes instructions for the ongoing daily sacrifice of two lambs. Verses 1–9 describe methods for the ...
Understanding Series
James K. Bruckner
Crisis Resolved: The Name of the Lord · Exodus 34 is the theological center of the book of Exodus. The stone tablets with the Ten Commandments, which Moses broke in anger in Exodus 32:19, are remade (vv. 1–4, 27–29). The Lord proclaims the divine name with a full description of who God is in the world. God responds to the golden calf crisis by promising to be a forgiving God in their midst. The Lord then describes how this forgiveness would function (vv. 5–9). The text reiterates representative laws from ...
Understanding Series
J. Gordon Harris
Unity: Joshua begins and ends with concerns about the unity of the tribes. The book expresses a special concern about tribes east of the Jordan River cooperating with those west of the river (1:10–18; 22:7–34). A geographical barrier such as a river often promotes jealousy, regionalism, and civil war; regional customs potentially can distort the worship of the Lord. Success in the battle for Canaan depends on fielding forces from both the east and the west. That unity depends on loyalty first to Moses and ...
2309. The Fall of Jericho
Joshua 5:13--6:27
Understanding Series
J. Gordon Harris
The Fall of Jericho: 5:13–15 Once the people are prepared to do battle in the name of the Lord, Joshua meets a mysterious visitor near Jericho (lit. in Jericho). The stranger is a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand (5:13). Joshua reacts like an alert sentry. He calls the man to identify himself: Are you for us or for our enemies? That request is especially relevant for a warrior standing with a drawn sword. The reply of the stranger puzzles interpreters. The NIV translates it, ...
Understanding Series
Cheryl A. Brown
Survey of Israel’s Early History: Joshua to Judges · Here begins a new section, but not immediately a new subject. In fact, rather than carrying the story forward, the text looks back to the period immediately after the Israelites renewed their covenant with the Lord at Shechem (Josh. 24). The text picks up nearly where the book of Joshua left off. Joshua 24:28 almost word for word corresponds to Judges 2:6. The section that follows (vv. 10–19) points to the author’s special concern with Israel’s spiritual ...
2311. Ehud
Judges 3:12-30
Understanding Series
Cheryl A. Brown
The Colorful Story Ehud: The story of Ehud is perhaps one of the oldest in the book of Judges and one of the best, from the standpoint of sheer narrative artistry. In contrast to Othniel’s story, which was a bare, black-and-white etching, Ehud’s story is full of rich, colorful detail; we are almost blinded by the brilliant brushstrokes of its color. Such accolades may come as a surprise to people who are at most embarrassed and at the least puzzled that the story is even in the Bible. They are put off by ...
Understanding Series
Cheryl A. Brown
Samson’s Downfall and Death: Few stories in the Hebrew Bible have more recognition factor than the story of Samson and Delilah. It is a gripping, poignant drama brought to life by a gifted artist who has skillfully combined plot and characterization to present a classic story whose elements, if not the whole, have been told and retold in many cultures through all varieties of media, whether story, song, art, or film. But as we turn to this famous story, we must remember that it is part of a whole and thus ...
Understanding Series
Cheryl A. Brown
Atrocities in Gibeah: Judges 19–21 constitute the final episode of the story of the judges. Even though we must divide them for the sake of analysis, they are intended to be read as one unit. These chapters have not found their way into many Sunday school books or sermons or onto the “top ten Christian books” list. They are difficult to read and more difficult to interpret. They portray human nature at its worst, and even worse than worst, because the main players were God’s covenant people. They did the ...
Understanding Series
Leslie C. Allen
The Long Awaited Signal: This passage launches the first of the three missions narrated in Ezra-Nehemiah. The other two missions will focus on individual leaders, Ezra and Nehemiah, and their God-given work within the restored community. This mission, announced here and carried out in 1:5–6:22, involves restoring the Judeans to their own territory and rebuilding the temple for the worship of God. Throughout the story, the actual return of the people is subordinate to their task of building the sanctuary. ...
Understanding Series
Leslie C. Allen
Ezra’s Challenging Prayer: The mission assigned to Ezra had two parts. While we have seen the first part carried out in chapter 8, the second part remained to be done. In 9:1–10:44, we shall read how the Judean community, complying with Artaxerxes’ decree in 7:14, 25–26, accepted the Torah. Comparison with the latter passage shows that the editor’s presentation of Ezra’s work was highly selective, and that here the issue of intermarriage with the local population was the focus of his concern. To that end ...
2316. Ezra Reads the Law
Neh 7:73b–8:18
Understanding Series
Leslie C. Allen
Back to Basics: Nehemiah’s work of repopulating Jerusalem is put on hold until chapter 11. The editor has put chapters 8–10 together and placed them here in pursuit of a different but related agenda. This chapter presents the first two of a series of readings from the Torah. At first sight, the topic of the Torah seems irrelevant to Nehemiah’s practical measures. In fact this material develops chapter 1, where Nehemiah’s prayer traced Judah’s plight and Jerusalem’s sorry state back to breaking the Torah, ...
Understanding Series
Leslie C. Allen
Guidelines Established and Monitored: Was there anything else left to do after the grand finale of the wall dedication ceremony? Indeed there was, according to the editor. At the close of Ezra 1–6 the narrator recognized in the dedication of the rebuilt temple an opportunity to put into place normative guidelines that echoed the Torah concerning the regular staffing of the temple. Similarly here, the editor supplements the wall dedication story with the enactment of two guidelines that brought the ...
Understanding Series
Tremper Longman III
Good Figs, Bad Figs: The next six chapters are written in prose. In this first revelation, Jeremiah receives further divine insight concerning Judah and its future. The time period is likely soon after the exile of Jehoiachin and some of the leading citizens of Judah in 597 B.C. (24:1), but certainly before the final exile of 587/86 B.C. God describes his people with two images, those who went into exile (the good figs) and those who stayed in Judah (the bad figs). The text only mentions that the vision ...
Understanding Series
Tremper Longman III
Letters to Babylon and Back: Chapters 27 and 28 describe a prophetic conflict concerning the status of the 597 B.C. exiles to Babylon and the future of those who remain behind. Jeremiah represented the view that the former would stay in exile and the latter were under judgment. Hananiah attacked Jeremiah and optimistically stated that all would end well in just a short period of time. The present chapter continues the same note of prophetic conflict. However, rather than two prophets in contact physically ...
Understanding Series
Elizabeth Achtemeier
The Prophet’s Lament over Samaria (1:8-9): 1:8–9 Micah now breaks into a lament over the destruction of Samaria that he has announced. Because of this, because the northern kingdom will be destroyed, he must mourn Israel’s fate, stripping himself of his usual clothing, walking about barefoot, as was the custom in grief (cf. Isa. 20:2; 2 Sam. 15:30), and crying out with howls like those of jackals at night or with screeches like those of ostriches. (The NIV improperly reads jackal, singular, and has owl ...
Understanding Series
Elizabeth Achtemeier
God the Shepherd of Israel (4:6-8): 4:6–8 It is declared in Micah 4:1–5 that in the eschatological future God will rule over the nations of the world from Zion, and that Zion will become the center of the world to which all peoples will stream for worship and instruction. But what of the wounded and scattered people of Israel, who have become like sheep without a shepherd? (For the expression, cf. Num. 27:17;1 Kgs. 22:17; 2 Chron.18:16; Zech. 10:2; 13:7; Mark 6:34 and parallel; Matt. 26:31). Yahweh himself ...
Understanding Series
Elizabeth Achtemeier
The Future Messiah: In the previous chapter, 4:6–8 promised the return of a remnant to Zion, Yahweh’s rule over them, and the restoration of the Davidic throne. Then there followed with 4:9 a series of three oracles, each beginning with “now,” and each portraying Judah’s current desperate situation and Yahweh’s salvation yet to come. This passage, the third in the series, deals with the restoration of the Davidic throne in fulfillment of 2 Samuel 7:13. 5:1 The NIV has obscured the connection of this oracle ...
Understanding Series
Pamela J. Scalise
Superscription (1:1): Zechariah prophesied to a community that knew the fulfillment of prophecy as a fact of their lives. Earlier prophetic announcements of judgment had been proven true in the destruction of their nation. The prophet’s ministry, and the ongoing ministry of the book, is to persuade its audience that the reliability of God’s earlier words of judgment stands as evidence that God’s promises and commands are also true. While fulfillment of salvation promises began in the early years of the ...
Understanding Series
Pamela J. Scalise
Five Oracles of Salvation for Jerusalem (8:1-8): 8:1–2 God had not abandoned desolate Judah (7:12–14). Verse 2 here echoes 1:14, “I am very jealous for Zion.” The Lord’s passionate attachment to Zion overcomes the wrath that the people’s sin provoked (7:12). The nations that had been brought against Jerusalem for judgment had gone too far. “I was only a little angry, but they [the nations] added to the calamity” (1:15). God’s wrath will turn against the conquerors in order to rescue Zion. “I am burning ...
Understanding Series
Pamela J. Scalise
The First Oracle: The arrangement of the various prophetic sayings in Zechariah 7–8 has opened up a space between the return to the land and the promised age to come. God has reaffirmed the cherished promises but moved them into the future relative to the fourth year of Darius, thereby encouraging the waiting community to hold on to its hopes. Meanwhile, God makes clear to them that the Law and the earlier prophetic preaching still define their relationship to God. Even after coming through the experience ...
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