Mad; Madness

הלל, hālal, שׂגע, shāgha‛; μανία, manía):

These words, and derivatives from the same roots are used to express various conditions of mental derangement. Though usually translated “mad,” or “madness” they are often used for temporary conditions to which one would scarcely apply them today except as common colloquial inaccuracies. The madness coupled with folly in Ecclesiastes is rather the excessive frivolity and dissipation on the part of the idle rich (so in Ecclesiastes 1:17; 2:2-12; 7:25; 9:3; 10:13). The insensate fury of the wicked against the good is called by this name in Psalms 102:8. In Deuteronomy 28:28-34 it is used to characterize the state of panic produced by the oppression of tyrannical conquerors, or (as in Zechariah 12:4) by the judgment of God on sinners. This condition of mind is metaphorically called a drunkenness with the wine of God’s wrath (Jeremiah 25:16; 51:7). The same mental condition due to terror-striking idols is called “madness” in Jeremiah 50:38. The madman of Proverbs 26:18 is a malicious person who carries his frivolous jest to an unreasonable length, for he is responsible for the mischief he causes. The ecstatic condition of one under the inspiration of the Divine or of evil spirits, such as that described by Balaam (Numbers 24:3 f), or that which Saul experienced (1 Samuel 10:10), is compared to madness; and conversely in the Near East at the present day the insane are supposed to be Divinely inspired and to be peculiarly under the Divine protection. This was the motive which led David, when at the court of Achish, to feign madness (1 Samuel 21:13-15). It is only within the last few years that any provision has been made in Palestine for the restraint even of dangerous lunatics, and there are many insane persons wandering at large there.

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Author: International Std. Bible Encyclopedia

Keywords: Mad, Madness, insane, insanity, crazy, lunatic, lunacy, mental illness, have a demon, demon possession, possessed by a devil, folly

Bible reference(s): Ecc 1:17, Ecc 2:12, Ecc 7:25, Ecc 9:3, Ecc 10:13, Pro 26:18, Jer 50:38, 2Ki 9:11, Isa 44:25, 1 Corinthians 14:23, 1 Samuel 16:16, 1 Samuel 19:23, 2 Peter 2:16, Acts 12:15, Acts 26:11, Luke 6:11, Matthew 17:15, Matthew 4:24

Source: James Orr (editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 5 volume set.

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