Bible Encyclopedia: Oracle

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ORACLE

or'-a-k'-l:

(1) A divine utterance delivered to man, usually in answer to a request for guidance. So in 2 Samuel 16:23 for dabhar ("word," as in the Revised Version margin). The use in this passage seems to indicate that at an early period oracular utterances were sought from Yahweh by the Israelites, but the practice certainly fell into disuse at the rise of prophecy, and there are no illustrations of the means employed (1 Samuel 14:18, 19, 36-42, etc., belong rather to DIVINATION (which see)). In. the Revised Version margin of such passages as Isaiah 13:1, "oracle" is used in the titles of certain special prophecies as a substitute for BURDEN (which see) (massa'), with considerable advantage (especially in Lamentations 2:14).

(2) In heathen temples "oracle" was used for the chamber in which the utterances were delivered (naturally a most sacred part of the structure). This usage, coupled with a mistake in Hebrew philology (connecting debhir, "hinder part," with dibber, "speak"), caused English Versions of the Bible to give the title "oracle" to the Most Holy Place of the Temple, in 1 Kings 6:5, etc., following the example of Aquila, Symmachus and the Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) But the title is very unfortunate, as the Most Holy Place had nothing to do with the delivery of oracles, and the Revised Version (British and American) should have corrected (compare Psalm 28:2 margin).

(3) In the New Testament English Versions of the Bible employs "oracle" as the translation of logion, "saying," in four places. In all, divine utterances are meant, specialized in Acts 7:38 as the Mosaic Law ("living oracles" equals "commandments enforced by the living God"), in Romans 3:2 as the Old Testament in general, and in Hebrews 5:12 as the revelations of Christianity (Hebrews 6:2, 3). In 1 Peter 4:11 the meaning is debated, but probably the command is addressed to those favored by a supernatural "gift of speech." Such men must keep their own personality in the background, adding nothing of their own to the inspired message as it comes to them.

Burton Scott Easton

Greek

5538. chrematismos -- a divine response, an oracle
... a divine response, an oracle. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
chrematismos Phonetic Spelling: (khray-mat-is-mos') Short Definition: an oracle ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5538.htm - 6k

3051. logion -- a saying, an oracle
... a saying, an oracle. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: logion Phonetic
Spelling: (log'-ee-on) Short Definition: divine communication Definition: plur ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3051.htm - 6k

4436. puthon -- Python, a mythical serpent slain by Apollo ...
... thone) Short Definition: a divining spirit Definition: a divining spirit, Python,
called after the Pythian serpent said to have guarded the oracle at Delphi ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4436.htm - 6k

5530. chraomai -- to use, make use of
... Middle voice of a primary verb (perhaps rather from cheir, to handle); to furnish
what is needed; (give an oracle, "graze" (touch slightly), light upon, etc ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5530.htm - 7k

5537. chrematizo -- to transact business, to make answer
... From chrema; to utter an oracle (compare the original sense of chraomai), ie Divinely
intimate; by implication, (compare the secular sense of chreia) to ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5537.htm - 8k

Strong's Hebrew

4853b. massa -- utterance, oracle
... 4853a, 4853b. massa. 4854 . utterance, oracle. Transliteration: massa
Short Definition: oracle. Word Origin from nasa Definition ...
/hebrew/4853b.htm - 5k

1687. debir -- perhaps (a place of) speaking (the innermost room ...
... oracle. Or (shortened) dbir {deb-eer'}; from dabar (apparently in the sense of oracle);
the shrine or innermost part of the sanctuary -- oracle. ...
/hebrew/1687.htm - 6k

5002. neum -- utterance
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition utterance NASB Word Usage declared (1),
declares (363), oracle (6), says (5), speaks (1). has said, said. ...
/hebrew/5002.htm - 6k

907. bad -- empty, idle talk
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition empty, idle talk NASB Word Usage boasters
(1), boasts (1), idle boasts (2), oracle priests (1). liar, lie. ...
/hebrew/907.htm - 6k

1697. dabar -- speech, word
... eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory, + harm, hurt, + iniquity, + judgment,
language, + lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, X ought ...
/hebrew/1697.htm - 8k

5001. naam -- to utter a prophecy, speak as a prophet
... say. A primitive root; properly, to whisper, ie (by implication) to utter as a
oracle -- say. 5000, 5001. naam. 5002 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/5001.htm - 6k

7081. qesem -- divination
... divination, divine sentence, witchcraft. From qacam; a lot: also divination (including
its fee), oracle -- (reward of) divination, divine sentence, witchcraft. ...
/hebrew/7081.htm - 6k

2377. chazon -- vision
... vision. From chazah; a sight (mentally), ie A dream, revelation, or oracle -- vision.
see HEBREW chazah. 2376, 2377. chazon. 2378 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/2377.htm - 6k

Library

Of the Oracle and Blessing which Isaac Received, Just as his ...
... Book XVI. Chapter 36."Of the Oracle and Blessing Which Isaac Received,
Just as His Father Did, Being Beloved for His Sake. Isaac ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 36 of the oracle and.htm

Of the Oracle Found Inscribed an a Stone, when the Walls of ...
... Book IV. Chapter VIII."Of the Oracle found inscribed an a Stone, when the Walls
of Chalcedon were demolished by Order of the Emperor Valens. ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of scholasticus/chapter viii of the oracle found.htm

The Emperor Consulting an Oracle, the Demon Gives no Response ...
... Book III. Chapter XVIII."The Emperor consulting an Oracle, the Demon gives no
Response, being awed by the Nearness of Babylas the Martyr. ...
/.../chapter xviii the emperor consulting an.htm

What Vengeance Overtook those who on Account of the Oracle Raised ...
... Book II. Chapter LIV."What Vengeance overtook those who on Account of
the Oracle raised the Persecution. "But why need I longer ...
/.../the life of constantine/chapter liv what vengeance overtook those.htm

That the Persecution Originated on Account of the Oracle of Apollo ...
... Chapter L."That the Persecution originated on Account of the Oracle of Apollo, who,
it was said, could not give Oracles because of "the Righteous Men.". ...
/.../the life of constantine/chapter l that the persecution originated.htm

Obadiah
... Psalm 137:7). But the case is gravely complicated by the similarity, which is much
too close to be accidental, between Obadiah 1-9 and the oracle against Edom ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/obadiah.htm

Let us See How He Continues after This: "These Events...
... Scriptures the predictions regarding Judas, or the foreknowledge of our Saviour
regarding him as the traitor; and from the Greek histories the oracle that was ...
//christianbookshelf.org/origen/origen against celsus/chapter xx let us see.htm

Work Written by Julian Entitled "Aversion to Beards. " Daphne in ...
... sole ruler of the Roman Empire, although libations, incense, and victims were offered
in abundance to the demon; for when eventually the oracle itself spoke ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of sozomenus/chapter xix work written by julian.htm

The Dying King's Last vision and Psalm
... 3. In it there is first a fourfold designation of the personality of the
Psalmist-prophet, and then a fourfold designation of the divine oracle spoken through ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the dying kings last vision.htm

Book 3 Footnotes
... against Apion, sect.16. [22]These answers by the oracle of Urim and Thummim, which
words signify, light and perfection, or, as the Septuagint render them ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 3 footnotes.htm

Easton's Bible Dictionary

In the Old Testament used in every case, except 2 Samuel 16:23, to denote the most holy place in the temple (1 Kings 6:5, 19-23; 8:6). In 2 Samuel 16:23 it means the Word of God. A man inquired "at the oracle of God" by means of the Urim and Thummim in the breastplate on the high priest's ephod. In the New Testament it is used only in the plural, and always denotes the Word of God (Romans 3:2; Hebrews 5:12, etc.). The Scriptures are called "living oracles" (Comp. Hebrews 4:12) because of their quickening power (Acts 7:38).

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) The answer of a god, or some person reputed to be a god, to an inquiry respecting some affair or future event, as the success of an enterprise or battle.

2. (n.) Hence: The deity who was supposed to give the answer; also, the place where it was given.

3. (n.) The communications, revelations, or messages delivered by God to the prophets; also, the entire sacred Scriptures -- usually in the plural.

4. (n.) The sanctuary, or Most Holy place in the temple; also, the temple itself.

5. (n.) One who communicates a divine command; an angel; a prophet.

6. (n.) Any person reputed uncommonly wise; one whose decisions are regarded as of great authority; as, a literary oracle.

7. (n.) A wise sentence or decision of great authority.

8. (v. i.) To utter oracles.

Thesaurus

Oracle (57 Occurrences)
... A man inquired "at the oracle of God" by means of the Urim and Thummim in the
breastplate on the high priest's ephod. ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ORACLE. ...
/o/oracle.htm - 26k

Lemuel (3 Occurrences)
... LEMUEL. lem'-u-el (lemu'el, or lemo'-el): A king whose words, an "oracle (taught
him by his mother)," are given in Proverbs 31:1-9; and possibly the succeeding ...
/l/lemuel.htm - 8k

Refined (26 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 6:20 And before the oracle 'is' twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits
in breadth, and twenty cubits 'is' its height; and he overlayeth it with ...
/r/refined.htm - 14k

Obadiah (21 Occurrences)
... As the years went on, the material assigned to the older oracle was limited by some
to 1:1-9 and by others to 1:1-6. Wellhausen assigned to Obadiah 1:1-5, 7, 10 ...
/o/obadiah.htm - 32k

Jakeh (1 Occurrence)
... text of ha-massa', "the prophecy" or "burden" (the King James Version "even the
prophecy," the Revised Version (British and American) "the oracle") with ne'um ...
/j/jakeh.htm - 8k

Inner (141 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 6:5 Against the wall of the house he built stories all around, against the
walls of the house all around, both of the temple and of the oracle; and he ...
/i/inner.htm - 37k

Holies (23 Occurrences)
... We now meet with the word debhir, "oracle" (1 Kings 6:16, etc.), which with the
exception of Psalm 28:2, belonging perhaps to the same age, is met with in ...
/h/holies.htm - 17k

Overlaid (50 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 6:20 Within the oracle was a space of twenty cubits in length, and twenty
cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in its height; and he overlaid it with ...
/o/overlaid.htm - 21k

Cherubs (52 Occurrences)
... it. (YLT). 1 Kings 6:23 And he maketh within the oracle two cherubs, of
the oil-tree, ten cubits 'is' their height; (YLT). 1 Kings ...
/c/cherubs.htm - 22k

Proverbs (11 Occurrences)
... king of Judah copied out." All these ascribe the proverbs to Solomon; but the heading
(30:1), "The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the oracle," and the heading ...
/p/proverbs.htm - 43k

Bible Concordance

Oracle (57 Occurrences)

Numbers 23:7 He took up his parable, and said, "From Aram has Balak brought me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East. Come, curse Jacob for me. Come, defy Israel.
(See NIV)

Numbers 23:18 He took up his parable, and said, "Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, you son of Zippor.
(See NIV)

Numbers 24:3 He took up his parable, and said, "Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eye was closed says;
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 24:4 he says, who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and having his eyes open:
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 24:15 He took up his parable, and said, "Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eye was closed says;
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 24:16 he says, who hears the words of God, knows the knowledge of the Most High, and who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 24:20 He looked at Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, "Amalek was the first of the nations, But his latter end shall come to destruction."
(See NIV)

Numbers 24:21 He looked at the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said, "Your dwelling place is strong. Your nest is set in the rock.
(See NIV)

Numbers 24:23 He took up his parable, and said, "Alas, who shall live when God does this?
(See NIV)

2 Samuel 16:23 The counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
(WEB KJV ASV WBS RSV)

2 Samuel 23:1 Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse says, the man who was raised on high says, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:
(See RSV NIV)

1 Kings 6:5 Against the wall of the house he built stories all around, against the walls of the house all around, both of the temple and of the oracle; and he made side chambers all around.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

1 Kings 6:16 He built twenty cubits on the hinder part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the walls of the ceiling : he built them for it within, for an oracle, even for the most holy place.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

1 Kings 6:17 The house, that is, the temple before the oracle, was forty cubits long.
(WEB ASV)

1 Kings 6:19 He prepared an oracle in the midst of the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

1 Kings 6:20 Within the oracle was a space of twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in its height; and he overlaid it with pure gold: and he covered the altar with cedar.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

1 Kings 6:21 So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he drew chains of gold across before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

1 Kings 6:22 The whole house he overlaid with gold, until all the house was finished: also the whole altar that belonged to the oracle he overlaid with gold.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

1 Kings 6:23 In the oracle he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

1 Kings 6:31 For the entrance of the oracle he made doors of olive wood: the lintel and door posts were a fifth part of the wall.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

1 Kings 7:49 and the lampstands, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the oracle, of pure gold; and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold;
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

1 Kings 8:6 The priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

1 Kings 8:8 The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the holy place before the oracle; but they were not seen outside: and there they are to this day.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

2 Kings 9:25 Then Jehu said to Bidkar his captain, "Pick him up, and throw him in the plot of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember how, when you and I rode together after Ahab his father, Yahweh laid this burden on him:
(See NAS RSV)

2 Chronicles 3:16 He made chains in the oracle, and put them on the tops of the pillars; and he made one hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

2 Chronicles 4:20 and the lampstands with their lamps, to burn according to the ordinance before the oracle, of pure gold;
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

2 Chronicles 5:7 The priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

2 Chronicles 5:9 The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen outside: and there it is to this day.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Psalms 28:2 Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.
(KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Psalms 36:1 For the Chief Musician. By David, the servant of Yahweh. An oracle is within my heart about the disobedience of the wicked: "There is no fear of God before his eyes."
(WEB NIV)

Proverbs 16:10 An oracle is on the lips of the king: his mouth will not err in judgment.
(DBY NIV)

Proverbs 30:1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
(WEB ASV NAS NIV)

Proverbs 31:1 The words of king Lemuel; the oracle which his mother taught him.
(WEB ASV NAS NIV)

Isaiah 13:1 The word of the Lord about Babylon which Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw.
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 14:28 In the year of the death of King Ahaz this word came to the prophet:
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 15:1 The word about Moab. For in a night Ar of Moab has become waste, and is seen no longer; for in a night Kir of Moab has become waste, and is seen no longer.
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 17:1 The word about Damascus. See, they have made Damascus a town no longer; it has become a waste place.
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 19:1 The word about Egypt. See, the Lord is seated on a quick-moving cloud, and is coming to Egypt: and the false gods of Egypt will be troubled at his coming, and the heart of Egypt will be turned to water.
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 21:1 The word about the waste land. As storm-winds in the South go rushing through, it comes from the waste land, from the land greatly to be feared.
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 21:11 The word about Edom. A voice comes to me from Seir, Watchman, how far gone is the night? how far gone is the night?
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 21:13 The word about Arabia. In the thick woods of Arabia will be your night's resting-place, O travelling bands of Dedanites!
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 22:1 The word about the valley of vision. Why have all your people gone up to the house-tops?
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 23:1 The word about Tyre. Let a cry of sorrow go up, O ships of Tarshish, because your strong place is made waste; on the way back from the land of Kittim the news is given to them.
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 30:6 The word about the Beasts of the South. Through the land of trouble and grief, the land of the she-lion and the voice of the lion, of the snake and the burning winged snake, they take their wealth on the backs of young asses, and their stores on camels, to a people in whom is no profit.
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 23:33 When this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask you, saying, What is the burden of Yahweh? Then you shall tell them, What burden! I will cast you off, says Yahweh.
(See NAS NIV)

Jeremiah 23:34 As for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, who shall say, The burden of Yahweh, I will even punish that man and his house.
(See NAS NIV)

Jeremiah 23:36 You shall mention the burden of Yahweh no more: for every man's own word shall be his burden; for you have perverted the words of the living God, of Yahweh of Armies our God.
(See NAS NIV)

Jeremiah 23:38 But if you say, The burden of Yahweh; therefore thus says Yahweh: Because you say this word, The burden of Yahweh, and I have sent to you, saying, You shall not say, The burden of Yahweh;
(See NAS NIV)

Jeremiah 50:36 A sword is on the boasters, and they shall become fools; a sword is on her mighty men, and they shall be dismayed.
(See NAS)

Ezekiel 12:10 Say to them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel among whom they are.
(See RSV NIV)

Nahum 1:1 An oracle about Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Habakkuk 1:1 The oracle which Habakkuk the prophet saw.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Zechariah 8:23 Thus says Yahweh of Armies: "In those days, ten men will take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying,'We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"
(See NIV)

Zechariah 9:1 An oracle. The word of Yahweh is against the land of Hadrach, and will rest upon Damascus; for the eye of man and of all the tribes of Israel is toward Yahweh;
(WEB RSV)

Zechariah 11:17 Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock! The sword will be on his arm, and on his right eye. His arm will be completely withered, and his right eye will be totally blinded!"
(See NIV)

Zechariah 12:1 An oracle. The word of Yahweh concerning Israel. Yahweh, who stretches out the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him says:
(WEB RSV)

Malachi 1:1 An oracle: the word of Yahweh to Israel by Malachi.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Oracle

Oracle: The Holy Place

Oracle: The Scriptures are Called "Oracles"

Related Terms

Lemuel (3 Occurrences)

Refined (26 Occurrences)

Obadiah (21 Occurrences)

Jakeh (1 Occurrence)

Inner (141 Occurrences)

Holies (23 Occurrences)