spesh´al - i ( מאד , me'ōdh ( Psalm 31:11 the King James Version); μάλιστα , málista ): Used in an emphatic sense; derived from a superlative. While usually employed for emphasis, it carries with it slightly the idea of something additional. Not used in the Old Testament in the Revised Version (British and American), the sense of the Hebrew being,,expressed more clearly by "exceedingly," "very." Its ordinary New Testament usage is, "mostly," "particularly," "chiefly" or, "most of all." Paul in his practical exhortations says: "But if any provideth not for his own, and specially his own household, he hath denied the faith (1 Timothy 5:8; compare Galatians 6:10; 1 Timothy 4:10 ).
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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