gar´nish ( צפה , cippāh , שׁפרה , shiphrāh ; κοσμέω , kosméō ): The word is used twice in the Old Testament. In 2 Chronicles 3:6 , cippāh means "to overlay," or "to plate." Thus, he "garnished" the house or "overlaid" it, "studded" it, with precious stones, and thus adorned and beautified it. In Job 26:13 , shiphrāh is a feminine noun meaning "fairness," "beauty," "brilliancy." "By his Spirit the heavens are garnished," i.e. the clouds are driven off by the wind or breath of Yahweh, and the sky made bright and clear.
In the New Testament (Matthew 12:44; Matthew 23:29 ) the word kosmeō means "set in order," "make ready," "adorn," etc. In Matthew 25:7 it is translated "trimmed," and in Revelation 21:19 "adorned."
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.
WikipediaThe ISBE is a classic Bible reference compiled from nearly 10,000 entries written by over 200 different Bible scholars and teachers. In addition to the encyclopedia articles, all of the major words of the Bible are represented and defined.
The historical, cultural, and linguistic information in the ISBE can be of great value in Bible study and research.
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