rḗ-venj ́, rḗ-venj ́ẽr: The same Hebrew and Greek words are used to express the idea of “to avenge” and “to revenge” (נקם, nāḳam, or derivative; ἐκδικέω, ekdikéō, or derivative). In English these words are synonymous in that they are both used to express the infliction of punishment upon the wrongdoer, but “to take revenge” may also imply a spiteful, wrong or malignant spirit. In the latter case, the Revised Version preserves “revenge” (compare Jeremiah 20:10; Ezekiel 25:15; 25:17 is an anthropomorphism), but, wherever it is synonymous with “avenge,” this word is used (compare Numbers 31:2-3; Psalms 79:10; Nahum 1:2; Judith 13:20; Romans 13:4; 2 Corinthians 7:11; 10:6 the Revised Version; the King James Version has “revenge” in all these cases). In Deuteronomy 32:42, the King James Version “revenge” is a wrong translation. Read with the Revised Version “from the head of the leaders of the enemy” or the Revised Version margin “the hairy head of the enemy.” Compare AVENGE, AVENGER; BLOOD; GOEL.
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Author: International Std. Bible Encyclopedia
Keywords: Revenge, Revenger
Source: James Orr (editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 5 volume set.
Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.