sûrch : Some peculiar senses are: (1) In the books of Moses, especially in Nu, "searching out the land" means to spy out ( רגּל , raggēl ), to investigate carefully, to examine with a view to giving a full and accurate report on. (2) When applied to the Scriptures, as in Ezra 4:15 , Ezra 4:19 ( בּקר , baḳḳēr ); John 5:39; 1 Peter 1:11 ( ἐραυνάω , eraunáō ), it means to examine, to study out the meaning. In Acts 17:11 , the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "examining" for the "searched" of the King James Version. See SEARCHINGS . (3) "Search out" often means to study critically, to investigate carefully, e.g. Job 8:8; Job 29:16; Ecclesiastes 1:13; Lamentations 3:40; Matthew 2:8; 1 Corinthians 2:10; 1 Peter 1:10 . (4) When the word is applied to God's searching the heart or spirit, it means His opening up, laying bare, disclosing what was hidden, e.g. 1 Chronicles 28:9; Psalm 44:21; Psalm 139:1; Proverbs 20:27; Jeremiah 17:10; Romans 8:27 .
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.
But as with any writings of men, the careful student of the Bible must always compare them with Scripture. As you use this helpful study resource, remember that only God's word is pure.
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