di -zûrn ´: Five Hebrew words are Thus translated: bı̄n , yādha‛ , nākhar , rā'āh and shāma‛ ̌ . It may simply mean "observe" (bı̄n ), "I discerned among the youths" (Proverbs 7:7 ); or discriminating knowlege, "A wise man's heart discerneth time and judgment" (Ecclesiastes 8:5 , yādha‛ ); "He discerned him not, because his hands," etc. (Genesis 27:23 , nākhar ); "Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked" (Malachi 3:18 , rā'āh ); "So is my lord the king to discern good," etc. (2 Samuel 14:17 , shāma‛ ). In the New Testament the words anakrı́nō , diakrı́nō and dokimázō are thus translated, expressing close and distinct acquaintance with or a critical knowledge of things. Used in 1 Corinthians 2:14 the King James Version of "the things of the spirit of God"; in 1 Corinthians 11:29 of "the (Lord's) body" in the sacrament; in Matthew 16:3 of "the face of the heaven"; in Hebrews 5:14 of a clear knowledge of good and evil as the prerogative of a full-grown man. See also next article.
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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