kū´ri -us ( מחשׁבת , maḥăshebheth ; περίεργος , perı́ergos ): The above Hebrew word, meaning "thought," "device," "design," is translated "curious," Exodus 35:32 the King James Version "curious works"; the English Revised Version "cunning"; the American Standard Revised Version "skilful"; ḥēshebh ("device," "devised work"), translated the King James Version "curious girdle," is translated by the English Revised Version "cunningly woven band," the American Standard Revised Version "skilfully" (Exodus 28:8 , Exodus 28:27 , Exodus 28:28; Exodus 29:5; Exodus 39:5 , Exodus 39:20 , Exodus 39:21; Leviticus 8:7 ). In Psalm 139:15 rāḳam , "embroidered," "variegated" is used figuratively of a child in the womb, translated "curiously wrought"; "the body or the fetus is described as woven together of so many different-colored threads, like a cunning and beautiful network or tapestry" (Perowne in the place cited.). See also CURDLE . Periergos , "working round about," is used of the "curious arts" of some in Ephesus who brought their books to be burned (Acts 19:19 the American Standard Revised Version "magical"). See ASTROLOGY 14.
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) was edited by James Orr, John Nuelsen, Edgar Mullins, Morris Evans, and Melvin Grove Kyle and was published complete in 1939. This web site includes the complete text.
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