Gift
Easton's Bible Dictionary
An oblation or proppitatory gift (2 Sam 8:2, 6; 1 Chr 18:2, 6; 2 Chr 26:8; Ps 45:12; 72:10).
A bribe to a judge to obtain a favourable verdict (Exod 23:8; Deut 16:19).
Simply a thing given (Matt 7:11; Luke 11:13; Eph 4:8); sacrifical (Matt 5:23, 24; 8:4); eleemosynary (Luke 21:1); a gratuity (John 4:10; Acts 8:20). In Acts 2:38 the generic word dorea is rendered “gift.” It differs from the charisma (1 Cor 12:4) as denoting not miraculous powers but the working of a new spirit in men, and that spirit from God.
The giving of presents entered largely into the affairs of common life in the East. The nature of the presents was as various as were the occasions: food (1 Sam 9:7; 16:20), sheep and cattle (Gen 32:13-15), gold (2 Sam 18:11), jewels (Gen 24:53), furniture, and vessels for eating and drinking (2 Sam 17:28); delicacies, as spices, honey, etc. (1 Kgs 10:25; 2 Kgs 5: 22). The mode of presentation was with as much parade as possible: the presents were conveyed by the hands of servants (Judg 3:18), or still better, on the backs of beasts of burden (2 Kgs 8:9). The refusal of a present was regarded as a high indignity; and this constituted the aggravated insult noticed in Matt 22:11, the marriage robe having been offered and refused.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
gift (mattanah, minchah, shochadh; doron, dorea, chairisma): In Gen 25:6; Exod 28:38; Num 18:6; Num 18:7; Num 18:29; Ezek 20:26, etc., mattanah, "a gift," is so rendered; minchah, an offering or present, used especially of the "meat offerings," is translated "gift" (2 Sam 8:2; 2 Sam 8:6 the King James Version; 2 Chr 26:8), in which passages "tribute" is meant, as the Revised Version (British and American); 32:23; Ps 45:12. A few other words occur singly, e.g. 'eshkar, "a reward" (Ps 72:10); mas'eth, "lifting up" (Esth 2:18); nathun is translated "gifts" (Num 8:19; the Revised Version, margin "Hebrew nethunim, given"); nedheh, nadhan, "impure gifts" (Ezek 16:33); nisse'th, "a thing lifted up" (2 Sam 19:42); shochadh means "a bribe" (Exod 23:8; Deut 16:19; 2 Chr 19:7; Prov 6:35; Prov 17:8; Prov 17:23; Isa 1:23; Ezek 22:12); in each instance the American Standard Revised Version has "bribe" except Prov 6:35, "gifts"; teramah, "a present" (Prov 29:4), may also mean a bribe, the King James Version "he that receiveth gifts," the Revised Version (British and American) "he that exacteth gifts," margin "imposeth tribute, Hebrew a man of offerings."
In the New Testament doron, "a present," "gift" (from didomi, "to give"), is translated "gift" (Matt 2:11; Matt 5:23; Matt 5:14 bis; Mark 7:11 the King James Version; Heb 5:1; Rev 11:10, etc., referring chiefly to gifts or offerings to God); dorea, "a free gift" (John 4:10; Acts 2:38; Rom 5:15; Rom 5:17; 2 Cor 9:15; Heb 6:4, etc., referring to the gifts of God); dorema, "a free gift" (Rom 5:16; Jas 1:17, the English Revised Version "boon"); dosis, " giving" (Jas 1:17, "every good gift," the Revised Version, margin "giving"); charisma, "grace," "favor," a benefit or good conferred, is also used of Divine gifts and favors, especially of the supernatural gifts imparted by the Holy Spirit (charismata) enumerated in Jas 12; Jas 1; the word occurs translated "gift, gifts" (Rom 1:11), "some spiritual gift" (Rom 5:15; Rom 5:16, "free gift"; Rom 6:23, "The gift of God is eternal life," the Revised Version (British and American) "free gift"; 11:29; 1 Cor 1:7; 1 Cor 7:7; 2 Cor 1:11; 1 Tim 4:14; 2 Tim 1:6; 1 Pet 4:10); charis, "grace," "favor" (2 Cor 8:4, the Revised Version (British and American) "grace"); merismos, "distribution," "parting" (Heb 2:4, the Revised Version, margin "distributions"); anathema, "a thing devoted to God," is once (Luke 21:5) used of "the goodly gifts" (the Revised Version (British and American) "offerings") which adorned the Temple at Jerusalem.
In the Revised Version (British and American) "gift" is substituted in the text of Gen 33:11 for blessing, margin Hebrew "blessing"; "boasteth himself of his gifts falsely" (Prov 25:14) for "boasteth himself of a false gift," margin Hebrew "in a gift of falsehood"; "a parting gift" for "presents" (Mic 1:14); "Given to God" for "a gift" (Mark 7:11).
W. L. Walker
Kilde: Easton's Bible Dictionary (M.G. Easton, 1897) og International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (red. James Orr, 1915/1939), public domain. Oversat til dansk med AI og endnu ikke gennemlæst (helt eller delvis). Koblinger til personer og steder: Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0).